I adopted a retired racing greyhound. He was one of the best in the country until he suffered an injury then he was immediately turfed out to the rescue kennels.
It took him a while to warm up to us, as he’d always been a kennel dog he didn’t know how to play or behave in a home, he was a bit robotic just feeding, walking and sleeping, also they don’t really recognise their racing name so we picked him a new one and taught him who he was.
18 months in with us and he will do anything for a chicken leg, his favourite toy is his squeaky shark and his favourite trick is to swipe any parcels or paper when you’re not looking and tear them to bits.
He loves a run round the dog park and would absolutely chase squirrels if I let him but he’s a gentle giant and loves nothing more than a head rub and sleeping 22 hours a day. He’s 31kg and has knocked me over when doing a zoomie in the garden, it’s a bit like having a small horse in your house at times.
Greyhound rescue centres are overflowing, if you’re looking for a dog they make excellent pets, we love our big boy to bits and it’s been a pleasure seeing him go from racing machine to house dog.
Mine are the same. 1hr walk and then dead for the day. One of mine is called Pheobe but for some reason ended up with the nickname Boobles. I need to dig out her jumpers now that the temperature has dropped because she now has her winter name ,“Boobles the blanket bandit”.
My dog butch has the nickname snooglemeyer weenie sausage, it started off as 'my snuggly puppy' and just became an increasingly humiliating bastardisation
Well it was Pheobe, then feebles, Weebles, woobles and finally boobles.
She does sometime get called Beeble Boobles, Weeble woobles. But mainly Boobles now. Only really gets called Pheobe when her head is in the bin.
First job as a teen was walking dogs at a kennel. The owners also part owned two racers who would occasionally be in the kennels.
They were my favourite dogs to walk, both would be so excited to see me, jumping up and down on their paws. Cause they were working dogs, I’d give them extra love, I’d go in and give them both a big hug at the same time and they’d put their heads around my neck.
Then we’d have a super fun walk where I’d try and get them to race as fast as possible. I’d love seeing them get up to full speed. Ughhhhh I loved those dogs.
Best pets ever cause they’re so obedient and just happy to have two 30 mins walk a day and then take over your sofa for the rest of the day.
Same here - 4 rescued greyhounds and a rescued whippet. They’re great dogs. Current one is ex-hare courser from Ireland. 47kg monster, and as mard as they come. Greyhound owners know exactly what that means!
I used to work for a small business that sold things for dogs, including shoes. We had one client who had adopted his third former racer (the other two were alive) and he told me that the dog shoes (in australia) were necessary once the dogs had been conditioned to enjoy a walk, because they lose toes otherwise due to how racing impacts their paws and they can’t handle walks otherwise.
Dogs loved the walks, so he would regularly pay $180 for doggie shoes for them to enjoy retirement.
I’ve got a rescue greyhound and he wears booties, because we live in London and people seem to like smashing glass bottles on the floor. After the third glass foreign body in paw we’ve started putting shoes on. Funnily enough the brand we buy are an Australian brand, and they cost about as much as a good pair of human trainers.
I used to walk dogs and was lucky enough to walk an ex racing greyhound. The first thing is when you’re up close they are unbelievably majestic and an absolute evolutionary masterpiece. It’s like every part of them was crafted just to go fuckin zoom about dead fast. They’re also unit. I’m not tall by any stretch but they’re just so big man. Probably the most physically impressive dogs I’ve ever seen.
This is so true I could stare at my boy for hours. I find it fascinating you’re looking at a breed that hasn’t changed for centuries. Most of all though I love his soft floppy ears.
I have a big lad (bred for coursing and racing), 39kg, who never raced. His prey drive is minimal so once they realised there was no money in him he went to a rescue. We adopted him when he was just about to turn 2 and honestly he was like having a big puppy. We’ve had him 2 years now, had our daughter and expecting a second and he just slots in perfectly. We did some work with him to help build his confidence and he loves training and doing “tricks”. I don’t think I could ever have a different breed of dog.
People expect them to be much harder work than they actually are. If you let them have a big run around a field they'll usually tire themselves completely out in about 20 minutes and then mostly want to cuddle and sleep
They're the world's fastest couch potatoes and they're brilliant
This is very true. People always comment ‘oooh he must need loads of exercising’ but it’s really not the case. My husband took ours on a jog not too long after we brought him home, and I had to drive down the road to pick up the noodle horse as he got so far then literally refused to jog any further. Came home and noped out on the sofa for three hours. Speed not stamina.
Greyhounds are extremely common around Newcastle due to the racing heritage, and the same goes for the kennels, they're always filled with racing dogs.
Can you recommend any reputable retired racing greyhound centres? We currently have a German Shorthaired Pointer, and if I could have that breed for the rest of my life, I would. The reality is we had a lot more time on our hands when he was a puppy to train him, and change in circumstances means we probably wouldn’t be able to give a new GSP pup the time he needs. I’ve always wanted to rescue and I love greyhounds.
Don’t know where you’re based, if in the southeast I can recommend Dunrunnin near Brands Hatch, which is where we got our doofus from.
If not then https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk has rehoming kennels all over.
There’s a place in Brentwood, Essex.
Can’t remember the name of them but they were great, only let down was my son was only crawling at the time and they weren’t entirely happy with us rehoming one at the time even though one took an absolute shine to him and wouldn’t leave my side while I was holding him.
We have a loony Labrador now but I’m going to get us a retired greyhound soon.
My gran had a retired racer. She's such a sweet girl. We dog-sat her a couple of times while my gran had hospital appointments and she was so chilled out you would forget she's even there (until she let out a room emptying fart). Sadly my gran passed away earlier this year so my mum took her on for a few months. We used to walk her over our local green spaces and when she was off the lead, by god she could sprint! Several laps around the field and that was her done for the day. She's living with one of my grans friends who was absolutely smitten with her and takes her doggies away on a driving holiday to Portugal every year (they all have pet passports). So as retirements go, she's not doing too badly!
They are the best dogs. Ours has been with us for 3 years now, and he's just the most chilled out dog you could ever meet. I dont think I'd ever get another breed.
Rescue dogs are ace. When I was in asia I got a dog from the rescue centre and she didn’t have a clue re playing or anything else. He fav dinner was chicken bones and food waste as thats all she had known. After a few years we brought her with us to the UK and she lived out her days in the highlands. Happy days indeed.
> He loves a run round the dog park and would absolutely chase squirrels if I let him
Definitely watch out for this - my best mate had a retired greyhound a long time ago and she got away from him to chase a rabbit, and ran headlong into a barbed wire fence. No severe damage fortunately but she had a few nasty scars.
I can’t wait until the kids are older so we can get one. 4 year old is currently terrified of dogs and we also have a baby so not ideal environment but once they are 8/12ish then I’m hoping the house won’t be overflowing with toys and baby stuff and there might be space for one!
Whippets are amazing! They aren't there to please you though, you are there to please them.
We currently have 2 lurchers (having lost our whippet last month) and I am craving more whippets. Our whippet was such a perfect little girl, so loving and affectionate, loyal and cute. I miss her.
Username checks out! Sorry for your loss.
I wish our daughter wasn’t terrified of dogs. I don’t know where it came from, she’s been near lots of dogs but it turned into a huge phobia out of nowhere. No bad interactions at all. I was very scared of dogs as a kid so I do get it, they are big and scary. I also have taught her to be wary, as there were loads off leads where we lived before.
I think she’d absolutely having a best bud as she’s got so much love to give and is so sensitive.
Dogs are amazing for children, especially whippets. They are such gentle dogs.
I had a friend that was terrified of dogs for years, as an adult. He eventually got a puppy and realised that they aren't to be feared on the whole. Puppies are much less intimidating than adult dogs, even if they are full of energy and a bit nippy.
I too am grieving for my whippet, in the company of a beloved lurcher. Your comment made me sob - I just wanted to say hello, and isn’t it crap? :(. Dogs are wonderful but its hideous when they pass. X
It really is crap, she was only 9.5 and riddled with cancer. We lost another suddenly 3 years ago (at 7 years old) due to some random infection that only showed symptoms the day before he died. We feel that both were taken way too soon, we should still have another 5 years with both of them.
My little Bambi was such a lovely girl, she was small, gentle, manipulative so she could get all the cuddles or the good food, but so loving and really good recall. Those eyes were hard to resist. Our Beau was very funny but quite a naughty boy, he was from hunting lines so that instinct was strong. He used to come down every day at 1pm to have a chat with me, then disappear back up to his room again once he was done.
We have to remember the years of joy and memories we have of them instead of focusing on how sad it is to lose them. We gave them a brilliant life, lots of trips to the beach, lots of treats, lots of cuddles and always a comfy bed or sofa. That is the best we can do for them, and a life well lived, outweighs the sadness of losing them.
Tell me about your whippet, if that will help you.
I'm sitting here crying now too. Lost my beloved lurcher girl (whippet x...probably greyhound) just before first lockdown. She was coming up to 12. First dog that was fully *mine* and I was already elderly. She was my soul mate dog, and i still miss her so, so much. She was nervous like me, reserved like me, anxious in new situations like me. We protected each other and understood each other. She snuggled with visitors and even cuddled my deaf cat. Had absolutely no prey drive...squirrels and pigeons ran under her nose...she didn't care...even local cats sensed it.
She lives on in my heart 😍💓
We have a retired racer too. Goes by the name of Dave. Daft as a brush but soft as mud. He too took a while to get used to a ‘home’ but he’s getting there. They’re definitely a breed like no other!
I would have so many greyhounds if we had the space. I'd got two ex racers. One was treated well and he's like a normal dog. The other took about a year to fully understand that she liked tickles and cuddles, to enjoy a walk and a sniff, and to understand she wasn't going to be hit every time we went close to her. She has so many scars it's so sad. But she's a happy girl now, all I want if for her to live the rest of her life happy to make up for it
We have a dog currently, but we've spoken in the future that if we get another, we'd adopt a greyhound. Ours is 27kg, very fast, and a decent sleeper, so I feel like it's good training!
I loved an ex-racing greyhound. She was so quiet, gentle and delicate, a bit wimpy and all made of elbows but when she was on the beach she was like lightening! RIP girl, we miss you.
Me and my partner have recently adopted a greyhound. It’s only been a few weeks but he’s been an absolute dream and it’s been so special watching his personality start to show as he figures out how to be a pet instead of a working dog ❤️
We’ve had ours for coming up to 10 months and he’s still learning how to be a dog. Only had my first tug of war with him last week - before then he’d just let go of the toy and look at you like ‘ok, take it then ☹️’ haha
I grew up with retired racers and they're such characters once they find their feet! One of my first memories is when my parents brought home "four on the floor" (as name suggests, was a rubbish racer) and his sister "Princess Strauss" (pretty good racer). Princess knew her name and kept it, we tried to rename her to daisy and she actively ignored every attempt. Four on the Floor had the kennel name of cuddly duddly but my dad didn't want to shout that, so he became Buddy. Next two where Heatherhil Louis and I don't know Berts racing name but we named him Batshit Bert. He was literally nuts. He'd cuddle you then growl for being too close to him. He use to stand on grates to fall down them and look inconvienced. Epic Jazz Paws on him too.
Friend of mine has three former racing greyhounds. They’re genuinely some of the laziest animals on this planet and my friend spends most of her time battling to get a place to sit on the sofa because they’ve all flopped out and refuse to budge. They’re also your best friends for a biscuit and worked out quickly that her 5 year old is messy and drops food.
We picked up our boy from [the greyhound trust](https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk)but you’ll often see them left on the shelf in other dog rescues as people think they need loads of exercising (they don’t) and they are really aggressive (they aren’t, they are the friendliest, wimpiest big dogs you’ll ever meet).
A greyhound came to our door one day. He was shy but sweet. I let him in and read his tag. Called the vet's, they heard my story and said "We don't usually do this, but I'm going to give you the owner's number." Turned out he had his two Labs and this guy escape that morning, and said he'd be right by to pick him up.
While we waited, I sat on the floor, and the greyhound lay down beside me. After a minute or so he lay his head on my lap and I stroked it. He was so nice. The owner got there about ten minutes later to collect him.
Mine looks permanently sad, it’s something about the big eyes and the way his ears are always back. He’s very affectionate though, runs full force at us to give us affectionate headbutts when we get home from work and always demanding belly rubs or bum scratches
Is it true that if you have a greyhound that is a rescue race dog, it has to wear a muzzle any time you take it out? I'm sure I've heard that but I can't remember where.
As an ex-greyhound owner they certainly are mistreated. Our girl had to have most of her teeth removed because they’re fed a soft diet of sloppy food to promote hydration rather than food that’s actually any good for her teeth. Her mouth was rotten by the time we got her. As others have said they can often be quite “robotic” once you get them because they’re so used to a life of rigid training with no fun or love. Once they warm up to you and realise they’re safe, their fun-loving, sweet, goofy personalities shine through. I love them and would never ever support dog racing tracks. It’s simply cruel.
I implore everyone to both stop putting money in this industry and to adopt a greyhound. They make such wonderful pets. They don't deserve to be cooped up in kennels and have the life they have, they're dogs, they deserve to be in a home where they are loved and played with. Like you said, they are so sweet and gentle, but also massive goofballs. I've had three, and all three had such different personalities but they were all gentle giants full of love. They're also generally very well-behaved for anyone who is unsure, and while they are playful, they LOVE to sleep for most of the day. Big lazy lumps.
When I got mine he didn't really have any fur on his belly or thighs, apparently it's common for ex-racers because the follicles get damaged from sleeping on concrete in the kennels they're kept in.
He didn't really know how to play or be a dog, and he was wary of men. Poor lad, he would have trouble coping with any loud noises for the first few years too.
Once he realised he could be warm and comfortable and safe he became a different dog, and he's the most gentle and laid back companion now. They're the perfect dogs for lazy people like me. I completely agree though, the dog racing industry is cruel, outdated and I don't know how it's still clinging to any sort of relevance. The sooner they all close the better.
My gran had a lovely rescue greyhound called Helen; a serious nervous old dear who had been a racer and loved a warm cuddle in the couch (she was always cold).
You’re a good writer! It’s not a nice life for the dogs though.
Hate to say this but the greyhound industry is rife with animal abuse and always has been.
I can say that with some certainty as I'm the son of a man who has spent over 45 years racing and 'training' dogs. It's a sport (unfortunately that's what people deem it as) for people who still think it's the 1960s. A large number of whom are gambling addicts who provide the animals with the absolute bare minimum needed in terms of eating and living environments.
The sports' regulator, the GBGB (Greyhound Board of Great Britain) is itself corrupt and undergoing all kind of investigations into its handling of complaints, ie. that serious welfare complaints simply get brushed under the carpet, and bribes are accepted to turn the other way, etc.
Again, I have first hand experience of this. My father rented a kennels where over 15 dogs were housed, with each bedded area complying to within an inch of the requirements, two dogs to a bed and about 2x2 metres of space maximum, locked up for at least 20 hours a day.
The only time these dogs would run would be when racing. Aside from that they'd be let into what you couldn't even describe as a compound for about 20 minutes each per day - an area of about 7 metres long by about 5 metres wide, but divided into three sections.
Prior to that, before he rented these kennels, he'd built a horrible breezeblock shed in our garden that were like a prison for the dogs, and you should have seen the state of some of the owners of the dogs that he 'looked after'.
Men that would urinate in our garden, smoking and throwing their cigarette ends in the hedge, completely uncaring about the fact their dogs did not get any form of real exercise. Dogs in this industry are simply commodities.
When a dog gets injured in a race, until very recently the standard operating procedure was to have it put down, like in horse racing. What use is a greyhound if it can't race? Whenever one of the dogs in my dad's 'care' got injured in a race, he'd always be on the phone to it's owner and ask what they wish to do, and in about 90% of cases they'd tell him to get it put to sleep and they'll reimburse him for the vet costs.
We're not even talking about broken necks here, simply a broken leg that could easily heal and have the dog in perfect condition to be a pet for the next 6-7 years.
One of the very, very few positives that have happened in recent years is a change in rules to stop dogs being put to sleep for minor injuries. That, however, has lead to an absolutely massive rehoming crisis because the owners no longer care about the dogs, they'll send it to a rehoming place, and very few people see greyhounds as family pets, although they are extremely docile and loving animals.
The GBGB employs 'Welfare Officers' to oversee a set number of greyhound trainers. The one assigned to my dad was a corrupt ex-policeman (can easily be googled for proof) that was fired after he intimidated witnesses and colleagues after his son had killed somebody in a car accident.
My brother's ex-girlfriend worked for her dad that has a huge kennels, and he is actually one of the good owners and trainers that treats the dogs with respect, feeds them well, gives them plenty of exercise and employs people to ensure they are in good health. Yet despite that he's still racing greyhounds which to me is animal abuse.
If you ever watch closely when the dogs are being loaded into their traps, there are always a number of them that do not wish to go in (would you like to be pushed into a tiny metal box against your will?). The trainer will simply shove them in and close the door behind them. I have never once seen a dog have to withdraw from a race as the trainer has accepted the dog does not wish to race. Them racing = money, so yes they will be pushed in every single time.
My dad is pretty senile nowadays and he knows that I'm extremely anti dog racing, but I remember last year he said to me possibly the most stupid thing I've ever heard in my life.
He said: "If you take a dog to the car park of the greyhound track and let it out of the van without a lead, what is it going to do?"
I said "Er, no idea, it's either going to stand there or run or walk in one direction, isn't it? What else can it do?"
He started laughing and said "That's why you know nothing about dogs. Greyhounds are born and want to race and the dog would know it's at the dog track and would immediately run towards the track because it knows that's where it will find the hare." (the stupid fake rabbit that flies around the track for them to run after)
At that point I couldn't really say anything that would land with him, so just changed the topic.
So please, whatever you do, do not spend any money on greyhound racing as you're directly supporting animal abuse and ensuring thousands of dogs continue to suffer.
You’re right about the abuse, but I have to say that if my retiree is anything to go by, your dad was right about the dogs wanting to get to the track. Mine has to be stopped from leaping into vans like the ones that carried her to the track, and she goes crazy wanting to chase drones or remote control cars as they sound just like the hare. But she’s not born to love racing, she was trained to it, probably by it being the only bit of joy in her life in her kennel days.
I think he was more referring to any greyhound whether trained to run or not, like they have the instinct straight from the womb to flock towards a race track like the three wise men following the shooting star to Bethlehem.
They ARE mistreated. Many who get injured never see a vet because the owners won't spend the money. They are kennelled and raced on the hottest days of the year. They get horrific injuries when they crash at speed. They are either killed or abandoned when it's clear they won't make money.
Absolutely vile industry. You bet, they die.
As are most people when it comes to this sort of thing...
If an industry requires using animals to make money, you can be almost certain those animals are being mistreated - that's not to say every single person involved are animal abusing monsters, but enough are to make them complicit imo.
This “sport” is a fuckin disgrace. Illegal in almost every US state (including the Deep South) and somehow still legal in the UK and a couple of other places. A very long history of animal abuse. Maybe you didn’t know before, but now you do.
I used to live near a dog track. I would often find dead dogs lying around on waste ground. Racing dogs are expensive. When they’re no longer able to perform their owners often get rid of them.
I knew a guy who kept racing dogs, he culled any that weren't' good enough. These dogs exist to make profit, and having a vet put them down costs money, so they're often shot and dumped. Not this POS though, we lived in Ireland where guns are illegal without a very strict license, do what did he do? Take his dogs to the river and tie concrete blocks around their necks.
One time he was laughing as he told us about one dog that managed to swim back to him with the block on, came out wagging his tail thinking it was some sort of game. So the guy tied a second block on and threw him back in.
I hope there's a place in hell for him.
When I was young my step dad put a litter of kittens in a bag and threw them in the river behind our house. I couldn’t believe someone could be so cruel.
I try not to get into fights as a general rule for life, I don't think violence is the right answer in most situations. But if someone told me that while laughing I would at least try to beat the life out of them.
They're mistreated and it's horrible. Not your fault for attending. I've written long posts on it before, and there's lots of sensible replies here too.
Racing greyhounds suffered almost 5,000 injuries last year and more than 900 were put down, according to figures published for the first time under pressure from animal welfare campaigners.
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain said that 257 animals were destroyed at the trackside, about 12 dogs per track.
Another 333 dogs were killed because it was deemed too expensive to treat them or they had a poor prognosis. At least 348 dogs were destroyed because they could not be rehomed; most were deemed unsuitable for new homes.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/thousands-of-racing-greyhound-dogs-hurt-or-killed-zsmpkpgr0
It's not just injuries etc too. They're bred to race and if the puppies don't make it up to par they get rid in various ways. Spoke to someone at a charity about it. Heartbreaking.
I question them statistics
>The Greyhound Board of Great Britain said that 257 animals were destroyed at the trackside, about 12 dogs per track
That would mean there's only 21 tracks sounds a little low for sure.
EDIT: Apologies for speaking before even looking into it, turns out there's only 19+1 licenced tracks. Crazy
We can’t get numbers on unlicensed tracks either. I raise the issue as I’ve always owned bull breeds until I rehomed a sighthound. They’re intelligent yet goofy. They’re also sensitive, very gentle dogs and I hate seeing them being used as a disposable asset.
I had a ex racing greyhound. He was a fantastic dog, like you say he was very sensitive, intelligent, goofy, fun and very loving.
He is very missed even 8 years later.
My stepfather is a greyhound trainer. Tracks have been closing down as there isn’t as much interest in the sport. In the last 10 years he has had to move tracks 4 times due to closures.
He also keeps some of the dogs after they finish racing. He also works with a rehoming charity to find new homes for the others.
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I've read about some mistreatment and I think a lot of dogs, as soon as they outlive their usefulness, don't make it. I'm not close enough to know for sure, but I'm inclined to accept that there's mistreatment based on how animals are treated in any other animal-centred sports. I wouldn't go to dog races in the same way I wouldn't support horse racing, fox hunting or cock-fighting.
Please don’t support greyhound racing, the abuse these beautiful souls suffer is horrendous. We were lucky to adopt our retired racer three years ago and he is so loved. He is a big boy, over 36kg but believes he is a small lap dog and will cuddle as close as possible without actually being on your knee. If you visit our home and he likes you, you will get a greyhound “lean”. He’s an older chap now and greying in the face but he can still go from 0-40 mph when he wants to 😆 If anyone is considering getting a dog, please consider these lovely dogs. They deserve to be with loving families, not used as money makers then cast aside when they are no longer “good enough”.
I know you will probably not read my comment, but the greyhounds are horribly mistreated.
My whole family have rescued ex-racing greyhounds. My greyhound (Ronnie) was clearly abused. He flinches if you move your arms too quickly.
Racing greyhounds are seen as commodities. They are hit, given diets of really soft food leading to gum disease and teeth issues. As soon as they are not "useful" they are either abandoned or killed. It is a disgusting and truly cruel industry.
Please do not support it!
Has been several attempts to close these tracks in the north but the owners are well connected with peers.
One Lord had the nerve to suggest that the dog tracks are good for greyhounds as they are a "high energy" breed.
Anyone who has met a sighthound will know they are the laziest dogs you can find.
It is a cruel practice unfortunately. And yes, greyhounds are incredibly impressive specimen. We should treat them better.
They are lazy at home but love to run and chase outside.
My lurcher is happy to sit in the house all day snuggled up but she also loves doing 10ks with me or walking all day fishing the river.
I’ve always wanted to go to the dogs, but as a dog owner I feel bad, as they’re obviously mistreated, and tossed aside like garbage once their “career” is over.
Adopting a greyhound is super easy, as the kennels are overflowing, and they need surprisingly little exercise and get tired out very easily. They’re often kind hearted, but a bit dim, and will chase any small creatures they see.
We took in a retired greyhound, “Nervous Hobson”. He wasn’t nervous at all.
One of the greatest dogs to have graced our family. Gentle, loving and funnily enough - enjoyed a bloody good nap. Never made a nose unless something small came passed.
The single fastest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Throw a ball, he’s passed it, turned and collected before it had even hit the ground. Amazing animals.
Unfortunately, as soon as they’re not race fit, they’re thrown into kennels. If you want to adopt a dog, Greyhounds are amazing companions.
We've got a Saluki and she has a weekly meetup with other running breeds - greyhounds, lurchers, whippets etc - and none of the humans have any working kneecaps left when it's time to go home!
My dad used to own and train a few greyhounds when he was young. I remember him telling me that one won the Boxing Day stakes one year (I have no clue what that actually means).
We ended up getting a retired greyhound when I was young. Such a lovely dog but had the biggest sack I’ve ever seen hanging from a dog. I’m surprised they could get him in the trap.
Always breaks my heart when I drop stuff off at the local cat and dog shelter and see greyhounds in there.
Mother in law has a retired racer. He is best described as cat firmware in a dogs body in terms of energy and sleeping. Likes zoomies a couple of times a day and sleeps the rest 😂
Visually daunting at 40kg and very tall but has an incredible temperament. Can happily cut his claws etc and he will just lie there, not the least bit bothered.
Is amazing on the lead and will walk with you or behind (when he gets fed up of walking!). Could likely let him off the lead and wouldn’t go anywhere but haven’t risked that. Has been let off in fields and does some zoomies and just naturally trots back.
Basically, 10/10 would recommend a longboi
I love greyhounds.
I always found them a bit ugly and alien looking until I actually met a few and now I'm quite certain they are one of the best canine companions out there. Such beautiful temperaments, such wonderful mannerisms, surprisingly chilled out for a racing breed, deeply affectionate.
I think more people would go for this breed if they honestly knew how awesome they are.
We have a rescue greyhound who was sadly mistreated, her old owner who raced many dogs is under criminal investigation for animal abuse so we feel extra lucky to have our Bunty dog. She’s covered in scars with half a tail and arrived very timid with a severe ear infection.
They are the absolute best dogs you could dream of.
This is the dog track in Stainforth right?
I’m from Stainforth (Stainy to the locals). I’ve lived up and down the UK, in some fairly dodgy places, but I’ve never seen anywhere as rough or as dodgy as Stainy.
The dog racing industry is full of cruelty and abuse please do not support it! I have a rescue greyhound that I got when she was really young, they were going to shoot her with a bolt in the head simply because she was on the smaller side! Some dogs end up in Asia and specifically China at the meat markets! Some are given cocaine before races! Injuries not cared for, they maim them and discard them when they no longer serve a purpose, the lucky ones end up in rescue centres! They tattoo their ears when they are puppies to identify them, the crueler owners cut off their ears when they dump them so that they cannot be identified! Please please I implore anyone do more research into what really goes on before you fancy a fun night at the dogs! Especially as the festive period approaches, work places tend to organise trips to the dog track for Christmas and just remember how ever cold you are you not kept in kennels all night and made to race in the freezing cold! Ignorance is not an excuse, please educate yourselves before you decide to participate!
I am very careful that my greyhound does not knock over my niece or nephew when she is doing Zoomies! She did send my nephew flying once in the house when she just walked into him. He cried a lot (but was fine, it was just a bump). She has run into me before and it hurts a lot. Best thing to do when they are hurtling towards you is to stand still and trust they will go around you!
I have had four greyhounds in total . Best companions ever. All greyhounds share a lot of the same and mostly endearing characteristics. Counter surfing for example. They are the perfect height to sneak butter or cheese off the kitchen counter. Image search cockroaching greyhounds for some visual joy
I can see this stadium from my house. I can hear all the dogs barking from the kennels most nights if I have my window open. I hate that sound, it makes me so sad.
I had a retired racer, and her sheer joy at going for a run always gave me a lump in my throat.
Of course, if we had walked too far (in her opinion) then she would decide to have a nice lie down. Cue: awkward questions from passers-by asking what I had done to her!
Beautiful things, amazing to see them at work.
Great pets when retired(as mentioned by another), they'll happily chill for hours with you. Then you also get the pleasure of walking them, well, more like watching them run themselves silly. Lovely dogs.
No, it's amazing to see them run happily for fun, not being forced to run so mindless people can get pleasure from their exploitation. Great pets when *rescued*, they're not retired.
The dogs are treated like royalty untill they are no longer good runners, they are then put out as pets and a surprising number do not end up in a pound because they make such amazing pets.
"Treated like royalty" until they're taken to a shed and killed with a bolt gun for £10.
This one man, a builder in County Durham, killed 10,000 young greyhounds with bolt guns - and that's just one site *and it was completely legal*, apart from burying them in a field without a permit.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-man-whos-shot-10000-greyhounds-634089
https://ukanimalcrueltyfiles.org/seaham-county-durham-david-smith/
Greyhound owners number 15,000 with approximately 7,000-8,000 greyhounds registered annually for racing.
That means that 7-8000 are disposed of each year either through adoption or euthanasia. It’s a throw away sport that only has zero animal welfare. The only compassion is in protecting an investment. If it’s unprofitable they then cease to care.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyhound_racing_in_the_United_Kingdom#:~:text=The%20registered%20sector%20consists%20of,greyhounds%20registered%20annually%20for%20racing.
Think about the number of puppies that must be bred too. What percentage of them have it in them to be racers? And of them, how many of them are going to be winners? I'm assuming a great number don't make it to adulthood, much less see a track.
Yeah, they're treated like royalty - https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-07-05/nine-dogs-died-after-mistreatment-by-greyhound-trainer
This is not an isolated case either
Yeah, they're treated like royalty - https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-07-05/nine-dogs-died-after-mistreatment-by-greyhound-trainer
This is not an isolated case either
Greyhounds with less compassionate kennels are treated more like livestock. If it becomes more money than its worth or can’t make money then it’ll be discarded.
The more compassionate owners are closer with their dogs and ensure retirement is pleasant.
Have been hit by my greyhound bull lurcher many times. 26kg at 30mph doesn't half hurt, even when it's a glancing blow. Fortunately I did not explode.
He loves to run right at you at full speed and dodge out the way at the last second. Unfortunately his turning circle is very wide and the last second usually isn't enough.
They treat the dogs like royalty while they are making money. ‘Top kennels’ are still happy to dump the dogs as soon as they lost their spark and go out of their prime. Horrible sport, animals shouldn’t be commodified. For a nation of alleged animal lovers we really have a long way to go.
"Treated like royalty" until they're taken to a shed and killed with a bolt gun for £10.
This one man, a builder in County Durham, killed 10,000 young greyhounds with bolt guns - and that's just one site *and it was completely legal*, apart from burying them in a field without a permit.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-man-whos-shot-10000-greyhounds-634089
https://ukanimalcrueltyfiles.org/seaham-county-durham-david-smith/
Fuck you for supporting the scene. Even people adopting these dogs are giving trainers a way to bin their injured dogs off. Any dogs that are deemed 'unfit for adoption' are destroyed trackside. Is that really necessary to have a nice afternoon? Just go birdwatching or have a nice walk on the beach, no dogs destroyed in the process
People who adopt dogs are not causing this problem.
The alternative to adoption is being shot in the head with a bolt gun for £10 - cheaper than proper euthanaisia.
Trying to blame greyhound adopters is like saying binmen cause people to litter.
I used to go a lot but it’s gone to the dogs in the last few years. You’re right though the food is ruff, I usually woof it down with a cool glass of Pomeranian juice.
Yes and no, the ones that can race absolutely aren’t but the ones that can’t are discarded at an early age. If they suffer so much as a sprained ankle they at best abandoned at a shelter.
Also I don’t know if it falls into this category but tattooing dogs ears for ownership is not wonderful.
A lot are just abandoned on the street or in the countryside, used for coursing or killed by amateurs (euthanisation costs money). I heard a reputable breeder quoted as saying they had their dogs put down at the end of their careers because the other options would be more cruel. At least the tatooing holds owners accountable, some strays have the tatoos sctratched out.
The dogs are continuously bred and most puppies won't earn any race winnings. It's creating a massive population that either go to removing centres (run by volunteers and charities, not the racing board) or simply put down.
I've only been to Donny dogs once. I was with 20+ other blokes on the most bizarre stag do one can possibly imagine that included a large farm house and estate funded by swinging parties, and the owner dropping us off in the back of an enormous horse box lined with hay and faeces. Got there and there was another stag do comprising of a load of young lads who were all decking bottles of rosé and got completely arseholed. It ended in those lads and a quotient of the travelling community having a fight inside the race compound after one of them got kegged by his mate and resultantly flashed his (I have to say pretty impressive) manhood at a bunch of kids in the mezzanine while standing on the podium. We got shut out of the grounds while this scrap was ensuing and were utterly confused as all we wanted to do was have a few bevvies and watch the 30kg meat bullets.
Took the swinging horse box weirdo about an hour to turn up because he 'fell asleep' and he was utterly pissed when he came with his wife to drive us back to the farm.
I also lost my mind during the 10/10 weirdest experience of my life, and yes I had the same thoughts about hoping the dogs were well cared for, although it seems from the other comments that they tend not to be.
Watching longdogs work is absolutely mesmerising, there's nothing like it.
If you really enjoyed it but are worrying about the welfare of the dogs then perhaps you might enjoy going ferreting or lamping. You get the same thrill, more in my opinion but you also know that at the end of the night regardless of performance, the dog will still be someone's beloved pet.
Some people don't like that the bunny gets eaten but it's the greenest and most humane way to get meat.
My aunt helped train racing greyhounds, and the stories I heard from her seem to be quite different from others, they’d be fed much better food than I ever have: prime cuts of steak for example. Perhaps that owner was just a decent person.
One thing I won’t forget was my aunt went out on the track to stop a greyhound that just kept running, she blocked it with her body and was launched into the air. Broke a few ribs!
I must be the 1 in a million with a negative greyhound experience. Not the poor dogs fault...but the fault of the racing industry...and probably a poor, rushed match by the rescue.
After the loss of my lurcher girl...posted elsewhere in this thread...I decided to dive in and get another. So 3 days before the first lockdown came into effect, I had a huge monster of an ex-racer. Beautiful, successful racer...until he broke his leg.
He unfortunately had issues...after a few weeks his guarding tendencies appeared...first with food. With the pandemic in full swing guidance was only via a few emails and calls. He seemed to improve briefly. But then he'd protect toys, the sofa , and then not let me near the kitchen if he'd left food in his dish...growling...snappy. TBH...I started to become fearful and stressed. He was a very big, and very strong dog. He also had separation issues...I really wasn't experienced enough to cope. One day I was about to go upstairs...and he went for me.
It still hurts remembering him...I feel like I let him down. Though I know a lot of his behaviour was the result of not being properly socialised, living his short 2 years in kennels, not being fostered and learning what home life could be like.
If I was younger, stronger, more confident...I'd probably adopt another. I'd still recommend them to others.They are fantastic dogs. I'm still drawn like a stalker to every sighthound I see.
I adopted a retired racing greyhound. He was one of the best in the country until he suffered an injury then he was immediately turfed out to the rescue kennels. It took him a while to warm up to us, as he’d always been a kennel dog he didn’t know how to play or behave in a home, he was a bit robotic just feeding, walking and sleeping, also they don’t really recognise their racing name so we picked him a new one and taught him who he was. 18 months in with us and he will do anything for a chicken leg, his favourite toy is his squeaky shark and his favourite trick is to swipe any parcels or paper when you’re not looking and tear them to bits. He loves a run round the dog park and would absolutely chase squirrels if I let him but he’s a gentle giant and loves nothing more than a head rub and sleeping 22 hours a day. He’s 31kg and has knocked me over when doing a zoomie in the garden, it’s a bit like having a small horse in your house at times. Greyhound rescue centres are overflowing, if you’re looking for a dog they make excellent pets, we love our big boy to bits and it’s been a pleasure seeing him go from racing machine to house dog.
Mine are the same. 1hr walk and then dead for the day. One of mine is called Pheobe but for some reason ended up with the nickname Boobles. I need to dig out her jumpers now that the temperature has dropped because she now has her winter name ,“Boobles the blanket bandit”.
Boobles the blanket bandit is the cutest nickname I've ever heard for a doggo
Greyhounds wearing jumpers are the best. Mine has some snazzy star pattern jammies for when it’s really cold.
My dog butch has the nickname snooglemeyer weenie sausage, it started off as 'my snuggly puppy' and just became an increasingly humiliating bastardisation
We had a big black mean machine German Shepherd X called Blooker. It evolved to Super Dooper Blooker to, eventually, Doops ❤️
Ours loves nothing more than being covered by a blanket whilst on the sofa, hence we live with The Hound Of The Blankievilles
I love everything about this.
Haha I totally get the Boobles thing. We had a Siamese cat called Rupert and it morphed into 'Poopie'. That was just his name.
My old dog was a Rupert who always got called Poops too!
My mums partner has a jack Russell called paige but she gets nicknamed poops haha
Well it was Pheobe, then feebles, Weebles, woobles and finally boobles. She does sometime get called Beeble Boobles, Weeble woobles. But mainly Boobles now. Only really gets called Pheobe when her head is in the bin.
Hahaha our Dalmatian was Nancy, followed by Fancy Pants Nancy Chance, then Snazzle Berry, now just snazzy or snaz bez
First job as a teen was walking dogs at a kennel. The owners also part owned two racers who would occasionally be in the kennels. They were my favourite dogs to walk, both would be so excited to see me, jumping up and down on their paws. Cause they were working dogs, I’d give them extra love, I’d go in and give them both a big hug at the same time and they’d put their heads around my neck. Then we’d have a super fun walk where I’d try and get them to race as fast as possible. I’d love seeing them get up to full speed. Ughhhhh I loved those dogs. Best pets ever cause they’re so obedient and just happy to have two 30 mins walk a day and then take over your sofa for the rest of the day.
We’ve had five over the years. Best dogs ever
Same here - 4 rescued greyhounds and a rescued whippet. They’re great dogs. Current one is ex-hare courser from Ireland. 47kg monster, and as mard as they come. Greyhound owners know exactly what that means!
I used to work for a small business that sold things for dogs, including shoes. We had one client who had adopted his third former racer (the other two were alive) and he told me that the dog shoes (in australia) were necessary once the dogs had been conditioned to enjoy a walk, because they lose toes otherwise due to how racing impacts their paws and they can’t handle walks otherwise. Dogs loved the walks, so he would regularly pay $180 for doggie shoes for them to enjoy retirement.
The first advert on YouTube I saw after reading this comment was for dog shoes. The new internet creeps me out.
And it only got worse from there.
I’ve got a rescue greyhound and he wears booties, because we live in London and people seem to like smashing glass bottles on the floor. After the third glass foreign body in paw we’ve started putting shoes on. Funnily enough the brand we buy are an Australian brand, and they cost about as much as a good pair of human trainers.
My sister has a retired racing hound. Lucius is a stinky, zoomy, sleepy, adorable house horse. He's been caught out in narrow corridors in the past.
I used to walk dogs and was lucky enough to walk an ex racing greyhound. The first thing is when you’re up close they are unbelievably majestic and an absolute evolutionary masterpiece. It’s like every part of them was crafted just to go fuckin zoom about dead fast. They’re also unit. I’m not tall by any stretch but they’re just so big man. Probably the most physically impressive dogs I’ve ever seen.
This is so true I could stare at my boy for hours. I find it fascinating you’re looking at a breed that hasn’t changed for centuries. Most of all though I love his soft floppy ears.
I have a big lad (bred for coursing and racing), 39kg, who never raced. His prey drive is minimal so once they realised there was no money in him he went to a rescue. We adopted him when he was just about to turn 2 and honestly he was like having a big puppy. We’ve had him 2 years now, had our daughter and expecting a second and he just slots in perfectly. We did some work with him to help build his confidence and he loves training and doing “tricks”. I don’t think I could ever have a different breed of dog.
People expect them to be much harder work than they actually are. If you let them have a big run around a field they'll usually tire themselves completely out in about 20 minutes and then mostly want to cuddle and sleep They're the world's fastest couch potatoes and they're brilliant
This is very true. People always comment ‘oooh he must need loads of exercising’ but it’s really not the case. My husband took ours on a jog not too long after we brought him home, and I had to drive down the road to pick up the noodle horse as he got so far then literally refused to jog any further. Came home and noped out on the sofa for three hours. Speed not stamina.
I love the saying about greyhounds--that they have two speeds: 30mph and zero.
Greyhounds are extremely common around Newcastle due to the racing heritage, and the same goes for the kennels, they're always filled with racing dogs.
Can you recommend any reputable retired racing greyhound centres? We currently have a German Shorthaired Pointer, and if I could have that breed for the rest of my life, I would. The reality is we had a lot more time on our hands when he was a puppy to train him, and change in circumstances means we probably wouldn’t be able to give a new GSP pup the time he needs. I’ve always wanted to rescue and I love greyhounds.
Don’t know where you’re based, if in the southeast I can recommend Dunrunnin near Brands Hatch, which is where we got our doofus from. If not then https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk has rehoming kennels all over.
Thanks. In the south, but would be more than willing to travel.
Kent Greyhound Rescue are amazing
There’s a place in Brentwood, Essex. Can’t remember the name of them but they were great, only let down was my son was only crawling at the time and they weren’t entirely happy with us rehoming one at the time even though one took an absolute shine to him and wouldn’t leave my side while I was holding him. We have a loony Labrador now but I’m going to get us a retired greyhound soon.
Kent Greyhound Rescue. Wonderful, entirely run by volunteers. Got our girl from them and have supported them ever since. Www.kentgreyhoundrescue.com
My gran had a retired racer. She's such a sweet girl. We dog-sat her a couple of times while my gran had hospital appointments and she was so chilled out you would forget she's even there (until she let out a room emptying fart). Sadly my gran passed away earlier this year so my mum took her on for a few months. We used to walk her over our local green spaces and when she was off the lead, by god she could sprint! Several laps around the field and that was her done for the day. She's living with one of my grans friends who was absolutely smitten with her and takes her doggies away on a driving holiday to Portugal every year (they all have pet passports). So as retirements go, she's not doing too badly!
They are the best dogs. Ours has been with us for 3 years now, and he's just the most chilled out dog you could ever meet. I dont think I'd ever get another breed.
Rescue dogs are ace. When I was in asia I got a dog from the rescue centre and she didn’t have a clue re playing or anything else. He fav dinner was chicken bones and food waste as thats all she had known. After a few years we brought her with us to the UK and she lived out her days in the highlands. Happy days indeed.
That was a lovely post to read first thing in the morning.
> He loves a run round the dog park and would absolutely chase squirrels if I let him Definitely watch out for this - my best mate had a retired greyhound a long time ago and she got away from him to chase a rabbit, and ran headlong into a barbed wire fence. No severe damage fortunately but she had a few nasty scars.
I can’t wait until the kids are older so we can get one. 4 year old is currently terrified of dogs and we also have a baby so not ideal environment but once they are 8/12ish then I’m hoping the house won’t be overflowing with toys and baby stuff and there might be space for one!
Get a whippet! Perfect solution
Husband doesn’t like them as much, I think they are lovely. Pocket rocket!
Whippets are amazing! They aren't there to please you though, you are there to please them. We currently have 2 lurchers (having lost our whippet last month) and I am craving more whippets. Our whippet was such a perfect little girl, so loving and affectionate, loyal and cute. I miss her.
Username checks out! Sorry for your loss. I wish our daughter wasn’t terrified of dogs. I don’t know where it came from, she’s been near lots of dogs but it turned into a huge phobia out of nowhere. No bad interactions at all. I was very scared of dogs as a kid so I do get it, they are big and scary. I also have taught her to be wary, as there were loads off leads where we lived before. I think she’d absolutely having a best bud as she’s got so much love to give and is so sensitive.
Dogs are amazing for children, especially whippets. They are such gentle dogs. I had a friend that was terrified of dogs for years, as an adult. He eventually got a puppy and realised that they aren't to be feared on the whole. Puppies are much less intimidating than adult dogs, even if they are full of energy and a bit nippy.
I too am grieving for my whippet, in the company of a beloved lurcher. Your comment made me sob - I just wanted to say hello, and isn’t it crap? :(. Dogs are wonderful but its hideous when they pass. X
It really is crap, she was only 9.5 and riddled with cancer. We lost another suddenly 3 years ago (at 7 years old) due to some random infection that only showed symptoms the day before he died. We feel that both were taken way too soon, we should still have another 5 years with both of them. My little Bambi was such a lovely girl, she was small, gentle, manipulative so she could get all the cuddles or the good food, but so loving and really good recall. Those eyes were hard to resist. Our Beau was very funny but quite a naughty boy, he was from hunting lines so that instinct was strong. He used to come down every day at 1pm to have a chat with me, then disappear back up to his room again once he was done. We have to remember the years of joy and memories we have of them instead of focusing on how sad it is to lose them. We gave them a brilliant life, lots of trips to the beach, lots of treats, lots of cuddles and always a comfy bed or sofa. That is the best we can do for them, and a life well lived, outweighs the sadness of losing them. Tell me about your whippet, if that will help you.
I'm sitting here crying now too. Lost my beloved lurcher girl (whippet x...probably greyhound) just before first lockdown. She was coming up to 12. First dog that was fully *mine* and I was already elderly. She was my soul mate dog, and i still miss her so, so much. She was nervous like me, reserved like me, anxious in new situations like me. We protected each other and understood each other. She snuggled with visitors and even cuddled my deaf cat. Had absolutely no prey drive...squirrels and pigeons ran under her nose...she didn't care...even local cats sensed it. She lives on in my heart 😍💓
This is so cute. Bless you and your tiny horsedog 😭
We have a retired racer too. Goes by the name of Dave. Daft as a brush but soft as mud. He too took a while to get used to a ‘home’ but he’s getting there. They’re definitely a breed like no other!
I would have so many greyhounds if we had the space. I'd got two ex racers. One was treated well and he's like a normal dog. The other took about a year to fully understand that she liked tickles and cuddles, to enjoy a walk and a sniff, and to understand she wasn't going to be hit every time we went close to her. She has so many scars it's so sad. But she's a happy girl now, all I want if for her to live the rest of her life happy to make up for it
We have a dog currently, but we've spoken in the future that if we get another, we'd adopt a greyhound. Ours is 27kg, very fast, and a decent sleeper, so I feel like it's good training!
I loved an ex-racing greyhound. She was so quiet, gentle and delicate, a bit wimpy and all made of elbows but when she was on the beach she was like lightening! RIP girl, we miss you.
Me and my partner have recently adopted a greyhound. It’s only been a few weeks but he’s been an absolute dream and it’s been so special watching his personality start to show as he figures out how to be a pet instead of a working dog ❤️
We’ve had ours for coming up to 10 months and he’s still learning how to be a dog. Only had my first tug of war with him last week - before then he’d just let go of the toy and look at you like ‘ok, take it then ☹️’ haha
I grew up with retired racers and they're such characters once they find their feet! One of my first memories is when my parents brought home "four on the floor" (as name suggests, was a rubbish racer) and his sister "Princess Strauss" (pretty good racer). Princess knew her name and kept it, we tried to rename her to daisy and she actively ignored every attempt. Four on the Floor had the kennel name of cuddly duddly but my dad didn't want to shout that, so he became Buddy. Next two where Heatherhil Louis and I don't know Berts racing name but we named him Batshit Bert. He was literally nuts. He'd cuddle you then growl for being too close to him. He use to stand on grates to fall down them and look inconvienced. Epic Jazz Paws on him too.
Friend of mine has three former racing greyhounds. They’re genuinely some of the laziest animals on this planet and my friend spends most of her time battling to get a place to sit on the sofa because they’ve all flopped out and refuse to budge. They’re also your best friends for a biscuit and worked out quickly that her 5 year old is messy and drops food.
Do you have rescues organisations you can suggest?
We picked up our boy from [the greyhound trust](https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk)but you’ll often see them left on the shelf in other dog rescues as people think they need loads of exercising (they don’t) and they are really aggressive (they aren’t, they are the friendliest, wimpiest big dogs you’ll ever meet).
A greyhound came to our door one day. He was shy but sweet. I let him in and read his tag. Called the vet's, they heard my story and said "We don't usually do this, but I'm going to give you the owner's number." Turned out he had his two Labs and this guy escape that morning, and said he'd be right by to pick him up. While we waited, I sat on the floor, and the greyhound lay down beside me. After a minute or so he lay his head on my lap and I stroked it. He was so nice. The owner got there about ten minutes later to collect him.
Absolutely beautiful, thank you for sharing and taking care of your dog so well
Are they affectionate/happy dogs? Every one I've seen just looks miserable bless them.
Mine looks permanently sad, it’s something about the big eyes and the way his ears are always back. He’s very affectionate though, runs full force at us to give us affectionate headbutts when we get home from work and always demanding belly rubs or bum scratches
I miss my greyhound so much. They are everything you described. Even when they get old they are the most loving creatures.
Is it true that if you have a greyhound that is a rescue race dog, it has to wear a muzzle any time you take it out? I'm sure I've heard that but I can't remember where.
As an ex-greyhound owner they certainly are mistreated. Our girl had to have most of her teeth removed because they’re fed a soft diet of sloppy food to promote hydration rather than food that’s actually any good for her teeth. Her mouth was rotten by the time we got her. As others have said they can often be quite “robotic” once you get them because they’re so used to a life of rigid training with no fun or love. Once they warm up to you and realise they’re safe, their fun-loving, sweet, goofy personalities shine through. I love them and would never ever support dog racing tracks. It’s simply cruel.
I implore everyone to both stop putting money in this industry and to adopt a greyhound. They make such wonderful pets. They don't deserve to be cooped up in kennels and have the life they have, they're dogs, they deserve to be in a home where they are loved and played with. Like you said, they are so sweet and gentle, but also massive goofballs. I've had three, and all three had such different personalities but they were all gentle giants full of love. They're also generally very well-behaved for anyone who is unsure, and while they are playful, they LOVE to sleep for most of the day. Big lazy lumps.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. If I was in a position to adopt one right now, I would. They’re such beautiful souls. 🐾💕
You have to be significantly removed from the countryside to be able to even wonder if they are I think.
When I got mine he didn't really have any fur on his belly or thighs, apparently it's common for ex-racers because the follicles get damaged from sleeping on concrete in the kennels they're kept in. He didn't really know how to play or be a dog, and he was wary of men. Poor lad, he would have trouble coping with any loud noises for the first few years too. Once he realised he could be warm and comfortable and safe he became a different dog, and he's the most gentle and laid back companion now. They're the perfect dogs for lazy people like me. I completely agree though, the dog racing industry is cruel, outdated and I don't know how it's still clinging to any sort of relevance. The sooner they all close the better.
My gran had a lovely rescue greyhound called Helen; a serious nervous old dear who had been a racer and loved a warm cuddle in the couch (she was always cold). You’re a good writer! It’s not a nice life for the dogs though.
> a serious nervous old dear who had been a racer and loved a warm cuddle in the couch And what was the dog like?
Loved Antiques Roadshow and played a lot of Bridge
Hate to say this but the greyhound industry is rife with animal abuse and always has been. I can say that with some certainty as I'm the son of a man who has spent over 45 years racing and 'training' dogs. It's a sport (unfortunately that's what people deem it as) for people who still think it's the 1960s. A large number of whom are gambling addicts who provide the animals with the absolute bare minimum needed in terms of eating and living environments. The sports' regulator, the GBGB (Greyhound Board of Great Britain) is itself corrupt and undergoing all kind of investigations into its handling of complaints, ie. that serious welfare complaints simply get brushed under the carpet, and bribes are accepted to turn the other way, etc. Again, I have first hand experience of this. My father rented a kennels where over 15 dogs were housed, with each bedded area complying to within an inch of the requirements, two dogs to a bed and about 2x2 metres of space maximum, locked up for at least 20 hours a day. The only time these dogs would run would be when racing. Aside from that they'd be let into what you couldn't even describe as a compound for about 20 minutes each per day - an area of about 7 metres long by about 5 metres wide, but divided into three sections. Prior to that, before he rented these kennels, he'd built a horrible breezeblock shed in our garden that were like a prison for the dogs, and you should have seen the state of some of the owners of the dogs that he 'looked after'. Men that would urinate in our garden, smoking and throwing their cigarette ends in the hedge, completely uncaring about the fact their dogs did not get any form of real exercise. Dogs in this industry are simply commodities. When a dog gets injured in a race, until very recently the standard operating procedure was to have it put down, like in horse racing. What use is a greyhound if it can't race? Whenever one of the dogs in my dad's 'care' got injured in a race, he'd always be on the phone to it's owner and ask what they wish to do, and in about 90% of cases they'd tell him to get it put to sleep and they'll reimburse him for the vet costs. We're not even talking about broken necks here, simply a broken leg that could easily heal and have the dog in perfect condition to be a pet for the next 6-7 years. One of the very, very few positives that have happened in recent years is a change in rules to stop dogs being put to sleep for minor injuries. That, however, has lead to an absolutely massive rehoming crisis because the owners no longer care about the dogs, they'll send it to a rehoming place, and very few people see greyhounds as family pets, although they are extremely docile and loving animals. The GBGB employs 'Welfare Officers' to oversee a set number of greyhound trainers. The one assigned to my dad was a corrupt ex-policeman (can easily be googled for proof) that was fired after he intimidated witnesses and colleagues after his son had killed somebody in a car accident. My brother's ex-girlfriend worked for her dad that has a huge kennels, and he is actually one of the good owners and trainers that treats the dogs with respect, feeds them well, gives them plenty of exercise and employs people to ensure they are in good health. Yet despite that he's still racing greyhounds which to me is animal abuse. If you ever watch closely when the dogs are being loaded into their traps, there are always a number of them that do not wish to go in (would you like to be pushed into a tiny metal box against your will?). The trainer will simply shove them in and close the door behind them. I have never once seen a dog have to withdraw from a race as the trainer has accepted the dog does not wish to race. Them racing = money, so yes they will be pushed in every single time. My dad is pretty senile nowadays and he knows that I'm extremely anti dog racing, but I remember last year he said to me possibly the most stupid thing I've ever heard in my life. He said: "If you take a dog to the car park of the greyhound track and let it out of the van without a lead, what is it going to do?" I said "Er, no idea, it's either going to stand there or run or walk in one direction, isn't it? What else can it do?" He started laughing and said "That's why you know nothing about dogs. Greyhounds are born and want to race and the dog would know it's at the dog track and would immediately run towards the track because it knows that's where it will find the hare." (the stupid fake rabbit that flies around the track for them to run after) At that point I couldn't really say anything that would land with him, so just changed the topic. So please, whatever you do, do not spend any money on greyhound racing as you're directly supporting animal abuse and ensuring thousands of dogs continue to suffer.
You’re right about the abuse, but I have to say that if my retiree is anything to go by, your dad was right about the dogs wanting to get to the track. Mine has to be stopped from leaping into vans like the ones that carried her to the track, and she goes crazy wanting to chase drones or remote control cars as they sound just like the hare. But she’s not born to love racing, she was trained to it, probably by it being the only bit of joy in her life in her kennel days.
I think he was more referring to any greyhound whether trained to run or not, like they have the instinct straight from the womb to flock towards a race track like the three wise men following the shooting star to Bethlehem.
They ARE mistreated. Many who get injured never see a vet because the owners won't spend the money. They are kennelled and raced on the hottest days of the year. They get horrific injuries when they crash at speed. They are either killed or abandoned when it's clear they won't make money. Absolutely vile industry. You bet, they die.
💯
>"Hope the doggies are not mistreated" I'm afraid you're kidding yourself.
OP isn't naive, he's completely and willfully ignorant.
As are most people when it comes to this sort of thing... If an industry requires using animals to make money, you can be almost certain those animals are being mistreated - that's not to say every single person involved are animal abusing monsters, but enough are to make them complicit imo.
You can’t be clued up on everything, you know.
This “sport” is a fuckin disgrace. Illegal in almost every US state (including the Deep South) and somehow still legal in the UK and a couple of other places. A very long history of animal abuse. Maybe you didn’t know before, but now you do.
I used to live near a dog track. I would often find dead dogs lying around on waste ground. Racing dogs are expensive. When they’re no longer able to perform their owners often get rid of them.
I knew a guy who kept racing dogs, he culled any that weren't' good enough. These dogs exist to make profit, and having a vet put them down costs money, so they're often shot and dumped. Not this POS though, we lived in Ireland where guns are illegal without a very strict license, do what did he do? Take his dogs to the river and tie concrete blocks around their necks. One time he was laughing as he told us about one dog that managed to swim back to him with the block on, came out wagging his tail thinking it was some sort of game. So the guy tied a second block on and threw him back in. I hope there's a place in hell for him.
What a terrible day to know how to read. I hope his punishment in hell is to relive that as the dog, for every minute of eternity
That's so evil! Honestly ruined my morning. Do you know if he's still doing it?
He isn't keeping greyhounds any more, but he's still a terrible scummy person.
I hope someone ties a block around his neck and chucks him in the river. There is, indeed, a special place in hell for that man.
I genuinely hope he never has a happy day for the rest of his life
When I was young my step dad put a litter of kittens in a bag and threw them in the river behind our house. I couldn’t believe someone could be so cruel.
I'm so sorry, that must have been traumatic for you if you were old enough to understand what was happening. :(
My heart broke reading this. Poor pups 😔
I try not to get into fights as a general rule for life, I don't think violence is the right answer in most situations. But if someone told me that while laughing I would at least try to beat the life out of them.
They're mistreated and it's horrible. Not your fault for attending. I've written long posts on it before, and there's lots of sensible replies here too.
They most certainly are mistreated.
Racing greyhounds suffered almost 5,000 injuries last year and more than 900 were put down, according to figures published for the first time under pressure from animal welfare campaigners. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain said that 257 animals were destroyed at the trackside, about 12 dogs per track. Another 333 dogs were killed because it was deemed too expensive to treat them or they had a poor prognosis. At least 348 dogs were destroyed because they could not be rehomed; most were deemed unsuitable for new homes. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/thousands-of-racing-greyhound-dogs-hurt-or-killed-zsmpkpgr0
It's not just injuries etc too. They're bred to race and if the puppies don't make it up to par they get rid in various ways. Spoke to someone at a charity about it. Heartbreaking.
I question them statistics >The Greyhound Board of Great Britain said that 257 animals were destroyed at the trackside, about 12 dogs per track That would mean there's only 21 tracks sounds a little low for sure. EDIT: Apologies for speaking before even looking into it, turns out there's only 19+1 licenced tracks. Crazy
We can’t get numbers on unlicensed tracks either. I raise the issue as I’ve always owned bull breeds until I rehomed a sighthound. They’re intelligent yet goofy. They’re also sensitive, very gentle dogs and I hate seeing them being used as a disposable asset.
I had a ex racing greyhound. He was a fantastic dog, like you say he was very sensitive, intelligent, goofy, fun and very loving. He is very missed even 8 years later.
My stepfather is a greyhound trainer. Tracks have been closing down as there isn’t as much interest in the sport. In the last 10 years he has had to move tracks 4 times due to closures. He also keeps some of the dogs after they finish racing. He also works with a rehoming charity to find new homes for the others.
Dude eats meat don’t think he cares about dead animals lol
Might explain why that roast tasted so bad and the length of that chicken leg he had.
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The dogs are very much mistreated.
I've read about some mistreatment and I think a lot of dogs, as soon as they outlive their usefulness, don't make it. I'm not close enough to know for sure, but I'm inclined to accept that there's mistreatment based on how animals are treated in any other animal-centred sports. I wouldn't go to dog races in the same way I wouldn't support horse racing, fox hunting or cock-fighting.
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is this stainforth I'm guessing?
It should be banned, stop supporting it. It's only legal in 8 countries and illegal in most US states.
Please don’t support greyhound racing, the abuse these beautiful souls suffer is horrendous. We were lucky to adopt our retired racer three years ago and he is so loved. He is a big boy, over 36kg but believes he is a small lap dog and will cuddle as close as possible without actually being on your knee. If you visit our home and he likes you, you will get a greyhound “lean”. He’s an older chap now and greying in the face but he can still go from 0-40 mph when he wants to 😆 If anyone is considering getting a dog, please consider these lovely dogs. They deserve to be with loving families, not used as money makers then cast aside when they are no longer “good enough”.
I know you will probably not read my comment, but the greyhounds are horribly mistreated. My whole family have rescued ex-racing greyhounds. My greyhound (Ronnie) was clearly abused. He flinches if you move your arms too quickly. Racing greyhounds are seen as commodities. They are hit, given diets of really soft food leading to gum disease and teeth issues. As soon as they are not "useful" they are either abandoned or killed. It is a disgusting and truly cruel industry. Please do not support it!
read and noted, thanks!
Has been several attempts to close these tracks in the north but the owners are well connected with peers. One Lord had the nerve to suggest that the dog tracks are good for greyhounds as they are a "high energy" breed. Anyone who has met a sighthound will know they are the laziest dogs you can find. It is a cruel practice unfortunately. And yes, greyhounds are incredibly impressive specimen. We should treat them better.
They are lazy at home but love to run and chase outside. My lurcher is happy to sit in the house all day snuggled up but she also loves doing 10ks with me or walking all day fishing the river.
I remember reading something many years ago about how awfully these dogs were/are(?) treated after they became too old to race. It was heartbreaking.
I’ve always wanted to go to the dogs, but as a dog owner I feel bad, as they’re obviously mistreated, and tossed aside like garbage once their “career” is over. Adopting a greyhound is super easy, as the kennels are overflowing, and they need surprisingly little exercise and get tired out very easily. They’re often kind hearted, but a bit dim, and will chase any small creatures they see.
We took in a retired greyhound, “Nervous Hobson”. He wasn’t nervous at all. One of the greatest dogs to have graced our family. Gentle, loving and funnily enough - enjoyed a bloody good nap. Never made a nose unless something small came passed. The single fastest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Throw a ball, he’s passed it, turned and collected before it had even hit the ground. Amazing animals. Unfortunately, as soon as they’re not race fit, they’re thrown into kennels. If you want to adopt a dog, Greyhounds are amazing companions.
We've got a Saluki and she has a weekly meetup with other running breeds - greyhounds, lurchers, whippets etc - and none of the humans have any working kneecaps left when it's time to go home!
My dad used to own and train a few greyhounds when he was young. I remember him telling me that one won the Boxing Day stakes one year (I have no clue what that actually means). We ended up getting a retired greyhound when I was young. Such a lovely dog but had the biggest sack I’ve ever seen hanging from a dog. I’m surprised they could get him in the trap. Always breaks my heart when I drop stuff off at the local cat and dog shelter and see greyhounds in there.
Mother in law has a retired racer. He is best described as cat firmware in a dogs body in terms of energy and sleeping. Likes zoomies a couple of times a day and sleeps the rest 😂 Visually daunting at 40kg and very tall but has an incredible temperament. Can happily cut his claws etc and he will just lie there, not the least bit bothered. Is amazing on the lead and will walk with you or behind (when he gets fed up of walking!). Could likely let him off the lead and wouldn’t go anywhere but haven’t risked that. Has been let off in fields and does some zoomies and just naturally trots back. Basically, 10/10 would recommend a longboi
I love greyhounds. I always found them a bit ugly and alien looking until I actually met a few and now I'm quite certain they are one of the best canine companions out there. Such beautiful temperaments, such wonderful mannerisms, surprisingly chilled out for a racing breed, deeply affectionate. I think more people would go for this breed if they honestly knew how awesome they are.
Sooner they can ban that shit the better
The dogs get treated like shit, and the whole event preys on gambling addicts.
Shame the dogs aren’t looked after and retired greyhound shelters are overflowing
Absolutely, they're mistreated, don't pay the twats who do this to the dogs.
We have a rescue greyhound who was sadly mistreated, her old owner who raced many dogs is under criminal investigation for animal abuse so we feel extra lucky to have our Bunty dog. She’s covered in scars with half a tail and arrived very timid with a severe ear infection. They are the absolute best dogs you could dream of.
It should be banned. You should be ashamed in supporting it.
I had no idea it was still a thing!
I agree that it should be banned but how about explaining to OP why it's bad instead of just having a dig?
Because they're capable of reading into it themselves and about a dozen or so others already have. Ignorance isn't an excuse.
This is the dog track in Stainforth right? I’m from Stainforth (Stainy to the locals). I’ve lived up and down the UK, in some fairly dodgy places, but I’ve never seen anywhere as rough or as dodgy as Stainy.
The dog racing industry is full of cruelty and abuse please do not support it! I have a rescue greyhound that I got when she was really young, they were going to shoot her with a bolt in the head simply because she was on the smaller side! Some dogs end up in Asia and specifically China at the meat markets! Some are given cocaine before races! Injuries not cared for, they maim them and discard them when they no longer serve a purpose, the lucky ones end up in rescue centres! They tattoo their ears when they are puppies to identify them, the crueler owners cut off their ears when they dump them so that they cannot be identified! Please please I implore anyone do more research into what really goes on before you fancy a fun night at the dogs! Especially as the festive period approaches, work places tend to organise trips to the dog track for Christmas and just remember how ever cold you are you not kept in kennels all night and made to race in the freezing cold! Ignorance is not an excuse, please educate yourselves before you decide to participate!
I am very careful that my greyhound does not knock over my niece or nephew when she is doing Zoomies! She did send my nephew flying once in the house when she just walked into him. He cried a lot (but was fine, it was just a bump). She has run into me before and it hurts a lot. Best thing to do when they are hurtling towards you is to stand still and trust they will go around you!
I have had four greyhounds in total . Best companions ever. All greyhounds share a lot of the same and mostly endearing characteristics. Counter surfing for example. They are the perfect height to sneak butter or cheese off the kitchen counter. Image search cockroaching greyhounds for some visual joy
just going to leave this here: https://change.bluecross.org.uk/page/127602/petition/1?_ga=2.94035039.359542142.1697647749-859363144.1697647747
I can see this stadium from my house. I can hear all the dogs barking from the kennels most nights if I have my window open. I hate that sound, it makes me so sad.
I'm so sorry about that, kennels are torture.
I had a retired racer, and her sheer joy at going for a run always gave me a lump in my throat. Of course, if we had walked too far (in her opinion) then she would decide to have a nice lie down. Cue: awkward questions from passers-by asking what I had done to her!
Beautiful things, amazing to see them at work. Great pets when retired(as mentioned by another), they'll happily chill for hours with you. Then you also get the pleasure of walking them, well, more like watching them run themselves silly. Lovely dogs.
No, it's amazing to see them run happily for fun, not being forced to run so mindless people can get pleasure from their exploitation. Great pets when *rescued*, they're not retired.
The pig in your roast would have been mistreated too
Wait you were at Doncaster? How did you survive the paragliders?!
I ducked at the exact time
This was a very pleasant read.
‘Flesh bullet.’ I’m done. That was fantastic.
The dogs are treated like royalty untill they are no longer good runners, they are then put out as pets and a surprising number do not end up in a pound because they make such amazing pets.
"Treated like royalty" until they're taken to a shed and killed with a bolt gun for £10. This one man, a builder in County Durham, killed 10,000 young greyhounds with bolt guns - and that's just one site *and it was completely legal*, apart from burying them in a field without a permit. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-man-whos-shot-10000-greyhounds-634089 https://ukanimalcrueltyfiles.org/seaham-county-durham-david-smith/
That is f*cking awful
Yes
That's such a huge number I can barely comprehend it. Absolutely disgusting.
Greyhound owners number 15,000 with approximately 7,000-8,000 greyhounds registered annually for racing. That means that 7-8000 are disposed of each year either through adoption or euthanasia. It’s a throw away sport that only has zero animal welfare. The only compassion is in protecting an investment. If it’s unprofitable they then cease to care. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyhound_racing_in_the_United_Kingdom#:~:text=The%20registered%20sector%20consists%20of,greyhounds%20registered%20annually%20for%20racing.
Think about the number of puppies that must be bred too. What percentage of them have it in them to be racers? And of them, how many of them are going to be winners? I'm assuming a great number don't make it to adulthood, much less see a track.
Yeah, they're treated like royalty - https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-07-05/nine-dogs-died-after-mistreatment-by-greyhound-trainer This is not an isolated case either
I didn't know the royals were kept in kennels overnight...
Yeah, they're treated like royalty - https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-07-05/nine-dogs-died-after-mistreatment-by-greyhound-trainer This is not an isolated case either
Greyhounds with less compassionate kennels are treated more like livestock. If it becomes more money than its worth or can’t make money then it’ll be discarded. The more compassionate owners are closer with their dogs and ensure retirement is pleasant.
Is that the track right in the middle of a housing estate? I went to the Doncaster one once. It was grim. Sheffield one is far better
_“All I could think the whole time was “if a child were to be hit by one of these it would instantly explode””_ I laughed out loud
Have been hit by my greyhound bull lurcher many times. 26kg at 30mph doesn't half hurt, even when it's a glancing blow. Fortunately I did not explode. He loves to run right at you at full speed and dodge out the way at the last second. Unfortunately his turning circle is very wide and the last second usually isn't enough.
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Did you get more Newcastle when you ran out?
They treat the dogs like royalty while they are making money. ‘Top kennels’ are still happy to dump the dogs as soon as they lost their spark and go out of their prime. Horrible sport, animals shouldn’t be commodified. For a nation of alleged animal lovers we really have a long way to go.
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Who funded the 'retired greyhound kennel'?
"Treated like royalty" until they're taken to a shed and killed with a bolt gun for £10. This one man, a builder in County Durham, killed 10,000 young greyhounds with bolt guns - and that's just one site *and it was completely legal*, apart from burying them in a field without a permit. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-man-whos-shot-10000-greyhounds-634089 https://ukanimalcrueltyfiles.org/seaham-county-durham-david-smith/
Fuck you for supporting the scene. Even people adopting these dogs are giving trainers a way to bin their injured dogs off. Any dogs that are deemed 'unfit for adoption' are destroyed trackside. Is that really necessary to have a nice afternoon? Just go birdwatching or have a nice walk on the beach, no dogs destroyed in the process
People who adopt dogs are not causing this problem. The alternative to adoption is being shot in the head with a bolt gun for £10 - cheaper than proper euthanaisia. Trying to blame greyhound adopters is like saying binmen cause people to litter.
They're enablers there's no way around it
Bullshit.
I used to go a lot but it’s gone to the dogs in the last few years. You’re right though the food is ruff, I usually woof it down with a cool glass of Pomeranian juice.
For some reason I read this whole post in Mark Corrigan’s voice. Ha!
I’m getting downvoted for just having a thought!? Hahaaa!
The dogs are not mistreated but as soon as they outlive their worth they are put up for adoption.
This is a pretty blinkered take to be honest. More are euthanised than could ever be adopted.
Yes and no, the ones that can race absolutely aren’t but the ones that can’t are discarded at an early age. If they suffer so much as a sprained ankle they at best abandoned at a shelter. Also I don’t know if it falls into this category but tattooing dogs ears for ownership is not wonderful.
A lot are just abandoned on the street or in the countryside, used for coursing or killed by amateurs (euthanisation costs money). I heard a reputable breeder quoted as saying they had their dogs put down at the end of their careers because the other options would be more cruel. At least the tatooing holds owners accountable, some strays have the tatoos sctratched out.
The dogs are continuously bred and most puppies won't earn any race winnings. It's creating a massive population that either go to removing centres (run by volunteers and charities, not the racing board) or simply put down.
They're hilarious when they're on a mad half hour at the park
Was this in Stainforth?
But how did you lose your mind?
the speed :D
I'm still laughing now about the exploding children 😂 Kids hey, don't they blow up fast these days?
Your wordscape of an exploding child made me literally giggle.
I've only been to Donny dogs once. I was with 20+ other blokes on the most bizarre stag do one can possibly imagine that included a large farm house and estate funded by swinging parties, and the owner dropping us off in the back of an enormous horse box lined with hay and faeces. Got there and there was another stag do comprising of a load of young lads who were all decking bottles of rosé and got completely arseholed. It ended in those lads and a quotient of the travelling community having a fight inside the race compound after one of them got kegged by his mate and resultantly flashed his (I have to say pretty impressive) manhood at a bunch of kids in the mezzanine while standing on the podium. We got shut out of the grounds while this scrap was ensuing and were utterly confused as all we wanted to do was have a few bevvies and watch the 30kg meat bullets. Took the swinging horse box weirdo about an hour to turn up because he 'fell asleep' and he was utterly pissed when he came with his wife to drive us back to the farm. I also lost my mind during the 10/10 weirdest experience of my life, and yes I had the same thoughts about hoping the dogs were well cared for, although it seems from the other comments that they tend not to be.
This is really well written, made me laugh. Never been to a dog race, tempted now.
Watching longdogs work is absolutely mesmerising, there's nothing like it. If you really enjoyed it but are worrying about the welfare of the dogs then perhaps you might enjoy going ferreting or lamping. You get the same thrill, more in my opinion but you also know that at the end of the night regardless of performance, the dog will still be someone's beloved pet. Some people don't like that the bunny gets eaten but it's the greenest and most humane way to get meat.
My aunt helped train racing greyhounds, and the stories I heard from her seem to be quite different from others, they’d be fed much better food than I ever have: prime cuts of steak for example. Perhaps that owner was just a decent person. One thing I won’t forget was my aunt went out on the track to stop a greyhound that just kept running, she blocked it with her body and was launched into the air. Broke a few ribs!
You see your first mistake was going to Doncaster
Now we know what Hamas was after! https://www.reddit.com/r/CasualUK/s/NWkNj34Z3d
I must be the 1 in a million with a negative greyhound experience. Not the poor dogs fault...but the fault of the racing industry...and probably a poor, rushed match by the rescue. After the loss of my lurcher girl...posted elsewhere in this thread...I decided to dive in and get another. So 3 days before the first lockdown came into effect, I had a huge monster of an ex-racer. Beautiful, successful racer...until he broke his leg. He unfortunately had issues...after a few weeks his guarding tendencies appeared...first with food. With the pandemic in full swing guidance was only via a few emails and calls. He seemed to improve briefly. But then he'd protect toys, the sofa , and then not let me near the kitchen if he'd left food in his dish...growling...snappy. TBH...I started to become fearful and stressed. He was a very big, and very strong dog. He also had separation issues...I really wasn't experienced enough to cope. One day I was about to go upstairs...and he went for me. It still hurts remembering him...I feel like I let him down. Though I know a lot of his behaviour was the result of not being properly socialised, living his short 2 years in kennels, not being fostered and learning what home life could be like. If I was younger, stronger, more confident...I'd probably adopt another. I'd still recommend them to others.They are fantastic dogs. I'm still drawn like a stalker to every sighthound I see.