Question For Greyhound Owners

[Evie]

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Hi,

Occasionally when I'm out walking Willow we meet some greyhounds out for their exercise. We always seem to bump into one guy in particular. His reaction to us always amuses me somewhat and I do wonder if there is reasoning behind it and if it's typical of people exercising greyhounds.

He seems to go to great lengths to not get close to us at all, turning up side streets and literally covering over his dogs head so it can't see us pass. His dog usually spots us before he does, and seems quite laid back about the fact that we are approaching. :blink: (Both dogs on leads, I might add.)

One day he actually ran across 4 lanes of traffic on a busy road when he came across us and had nowhere to hide. (w00t)

His dog seems totally untroubled by us approaching and Willow is on lead and not looking excited at all either.....

Today we met a guy at the football pitches with a gorgeous blue greyhound onlead. I'm guessing his was a pet greyhound since it didn't have a muzzle on, nor coat like most have this weather. Willow was offlead. He seen us and called asking me something, I didn't catch is and asked if he'd like me to put Wills onlead, she wasn't near them/bothering them at all. He said no it was grand and he'd just go on ahead of us. We were leaving at that stage anyway, so didn't see how he got on with the other dogs all out walking as well.

So, basically what I'm asking..... Is there a reason for Greyhounds to avoid other dogs out walking? I can understand perhaps offlead. But when two are onleads and just passing in the street?

Lol perhaps it's just Willow.... Is it unlucky to meet a 3 legged dog before a race? :- "

 

[hellybobs]

I know a fw people who have greyhounds and they don't behave like that.

All of them are ex racers and all of them are kept on the lead but are friendly dogs and like to meet other dogs in the park.

Sorry can't help you anymore.

 

[noo]

It took a long time for me to let Shaun offlead cause he was so nervous. Now tho, he loves it, and loves playing with other dogs, especially other greys. Can't think why this guy avoids you. Unless his dog is paricularly nervous or summat??

 

[rach125]

Just a thought do u think that maybe it is the man who is very nervous and doesn't want to walk near people in case they start talking to him?

 

[FeeFee]

Most greyhounds are pretty laid back, but of course as with any breed some aren't good with other dogs.

I had a greyhound some years back who was very dog aggressive when he first came to me, and I would probably have reacted a bit like this chap. Certainly I would have avoided having to pass other dogs at close quarters or on a narrow pavement, even if it meant turning round and going back, as I could only just about hold on to him if he really started lunging and going for it.

It would have been pretty obvious why, though, as he was muzzled and would have started yodelling and jumping around as soon as another dog came into view. It doesn't sound as though this dog is reacting like that - but perhaps he would at close quarters?

 

[clairej810]

It depends what mood mine are in!! Generally there's not a problem although they don't like staffies - been attacked!

BUT!! If something upsets them - squirrels, wind etc then they can be silly and bark at other dogs and jump up and down. They only want to say hello but some people find it disturbing and don't want their dogs to say hello to us.

Also, if a dog is grumpy with them and barks at them, then my two then expect every other dog they meet to do the same so they bark first. Tiny gets quite nervous if they meet grumpy dogs and then gets all silly.

Mine don't go off the lead in public places but that is because I don't feel the parks etc are secure enough, not to do with their behaviour - and they are never muzzled!!

Mostly they love meeting people and dogs. :thumbsup:

BTW - mine didn't have their coats on today either.

 

[Evie]

Thanks Guys! 8)

So I'll just put this one down to the man's strange behaviour. :wacko: His dog seems laid back when he sees us, it's only the man that seems to get into a tizzy. Though as FeeFee says, perhaps it may have been different at close quarters. Perhaps it is the man who's nervous,not the dog. But to cross a main road, with 4 lanes of traffic, when on a big wide path.... he must really want to avoid people! I was cringing watching him dodge between cars!!

Well, at least now I know you aren't all a crazy bunch, lol. :lol:

 

[oakmoorehill]

William doesn't act like that with other dogs .He likes to say hello but I find most people are warry of him and keep their dogs away from him. I do let him run free at a local park but it is tiny only has one gate and the parkie has told me to shut it if I want to let him run free. I don't let him run with othe peoples dogs as he tends to not stop and run into the otherdogs but he does run with Rosie and Owen who know how to avoid him. They are always aware of were he is and drop to the floor when he catches up with them.

William is wearing his coat but that is because we are trying to get more weight on him and if he feels the cold the weight falls of quicker than the autumn leaves fall of the trees

 

[fallenangel]

in genral greyhound know there own and get on fine with them onlead when we do meat and greets there can be loads of other sighthounds there that dont know eachother and there fine thers allways the odd one that just dosnt like other dogs no matter waht breed or boris is like that and we muzzle him till hes been introduced but after that even hes fine with others. I would be tempted to try and catch the fella thats runs way from you one day when your on your own to see why he does it sometimes new pet owners get over ancuses with there greyhound but as a gentarl rulie they love each others company we used to meet with frends onec a week with our dogs I think at one stage there were 15 greyhounds and a terrer they all got on realy well. all though they can get silly off lead running about and a collision can do some bad injurys so they only realy whent off lead in ones and twos

 

[Macha]

greyhounds have a strong chase instinct and their owners may be afraid the dog will pull away from the lead and chase your dog

when I took my whippet to the local greyhound track to get some practice running, the people there warned me that their dogs would kill mine if they got the chance

whether that's true or not, some of the greyhound people think it is for many of the dogs

(despite that the dogs at the practice run were mostly unmuzzled!)

 

[Evie]

Ha ha, Fallen Angel, I'd love to catch him someday to ask why he does what he does. (I'm probably to nosey for my own good, lol.) If I ever do I'll lets yee all know. :lol:

 

[clairej810]

Mine definitely get on better with other sighthounds, we got on a monthly greyhound walk with 30 odd sighthounds and there is never a problem (well apart from the saluki that took exception to Tiny last month and releived him of some fur round his neck! :angry: )

Today is defintiely a coat day!! First thing in the morning they need their coats anyway, but by lunchtime it's usually okay still. But today is brrr!

 

[Evie]

The weather here is cold!! There is a bitter wind this last few days. It seems to go between heavy showers one minute and sunshine the next. :wacko:

 

[fallenangel]

my lot wont leave the houes now without a coat till next spring and they even have there jammys on at night dosnt matter what age they are non of them like being cold and there restless all night if they get chilly much easyer with coats and jammys

 

[Evie]

Lol, When I look at Wills at night all I see is a lump of Duvet on the floor, she insists on sleeping under it (goodness know how she breathes!!). When the alarm goes off in the morning she sticks her head out and checks that I'm REALLY getting up before surfacing from under it. :blink:

My family would think I've totally lost the plot if I got her jammies...... then again, they probably think that already. :wacko:

 

[mazncarey]

hi

i know i havnt got any greyhounds and i am a whippet owner but my dad used to own greyhounds and when we met other greyhound owners in the street they were fine and so were the dogs, like at the track to,

i have got to say my harley my harley runs in the field with a greyhound and who is massive and all so a greyhound x and they are both fine as so as their owners,

i wonder why this man is being like this? if i see a whippet or a grehound when were out walking i talk to the ownsers as we ask about each others dogs! very strange man! he is some reason avoiding you! net time your on walkies and you see him shout hello and see what his reaction is?! he may run lol

hope willow is ok after the op

love maz xxx

 

[clairej810]

Love the comments about jammies!! Mine have got two duvets at the top of the stairs - supposedly one each. Max waits for me to fold back the duvet, then he gets in and I cover him over so he is nice and snuggly. Tiny waits for me to get into bed and then hops on the bed with me. He makes a good hot water bottle. If it's very cold he sneaks in under the duvet!! :- "

 

[urchin]

i found people had this reaction to my greys too - Now Sid you could understand (very big feisty dog) but if you'd met Audrey you'd wet yourself at the thought of her being aggressive......think mimsy old lady and you're halfway to picturing her!

I have had quite a few conversations with people who were trying to avoid us, and have been told many times that people think greyhounds are ferociously aggressive (hence the fact that they race in muzzles) So aggressive in fact that it's illegal to walk them without a muzzle!

I've done quite a bit of explaining on this front, but it does seem to be a common misconception - maybe it's what your nervous bloke thinks too?

or maybe he just odd :teehee:

 

[Evie]

Funnily enough, I haven't seen him since.....

He must have started walking a different route. :- "

 

[galty]

This bloke sounds a bit like me with my last hound who died a few moths ago.

His name was SHARP I breed him and he was the Alaph male of the litter

I raced him till he fought at the age of 4and1/2 and I kepped him in the keenels till his Mother died.

He was 7 when I brought him home.

He growled at the wife twice and bit me at one time on the arm, but with a lot of work he settled in and learned to accept his position good as gold after a couple of months

When I took him walking he was allways kept on a lead but never a muzzel.

The big problem was other dog owners whos dogs where not on a lead and who had not control over them, they would run up to him, he would look at them make no sound and when they got close would go for them again no sound but straight for the throat.

After a couple of times of this happening If I saw another dog not on a lead I would turn around a walk some where else.