# Considering purchasing a Greyhound or Whippet (First time dog owner need some advice)



## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

Hey guys and Gals, 

I'm new to these forums and Id like to ask for some advice with regards to perhaps purchasing or maybe adopting a Greyhound or Whippet. First I would like to share a bit about my background with dogs. 


The first dog I owned was a Miniature Pinscher about 5 years ago. I never had a dog growing up as a kid so my first experience with a dog really came when I was in my early 20s. At first I really loved the little guy but the more time I spent with the dog the more I felt burdened by it's never ending supply of energy, consistent barking, and insatiable demand for attention at all times. We would walk the dog every day for about 45 minutes, spend about 20 more minutes playing with him outside and then go inside and try to get some work done. At any given day we spend roughly an hour to an hour and a half with the pup. Oftentimes more on weekends when we would take him to the park for walks and jogs. When the dog was inside the house it made getting work done an absolutely arduous task. 

At the time I was working on finishing my B.A and my girlfriend had just started college herself. The little one never seemed to run out of energy and was always trying to scratch the furniture to get our attention, or bark and jump on our lap when we were trying to work. Eventually my girlfriend and I got so fed up that we bought a dog house, bed, and moved him out into the yard. The first few nights the dog cried a lot and wouldn't let us sleep, we felt bad but we had to get our work done. Fortunately after about 5 days he got used to his new environment and was very happy; especially given that we don't often have cold weather here in southern CA. Everything was going great with the dog at that point in time. We had our school life in order, the dog was happy and playful outside, and we spent plenty of time with him as well. 

Then one day we came back from work and the dog was gone. There was no one at home to open the face to the yard and the dog was in no way large enough to jump over a 5 foot fence. There were no digging marks anywhere around the fence either. After reporting the dog missing, checking shelters, and waiting about 2 weeks we concluded that he was probably stolen and taken to Tijuana to be sold there, which tends to happen to mostly small dogs in Southern CA. 

We eventually got over the loss of the dog about two years ago and tried to adopt a new pup into our family. We paid a visit to our local shelter and found a very cute, calm, and laid back Chihuahua dog of about 4 years. Everything seemed fine with the pup when we interacted with him at the shelter, but the very night we took him home with us he began to show signs of aggression. He would growl at us when he wanted some attention and even bit my girlfriend's hand when she tried to put a treat in his bowl. 

I decided to return the dog but knew that if I mentioned the aggressive behavior there was a chance the dog would be put down so I attributed the return to "personality" issues. To my delight, I came to find out he was adopted 3 days after being returned to the shelter. 

This brings me to today. I have not had a dog for years now and have been doing a lot more homework on breeds, dog temperaments, personalities, and characteristics. I now know that my girlfriend and I are probably not the best owners for a small, jumpy, and over energetic dog. After doing months of research and consulting with both vets and dog trainers we have concluded that the only real dog breed we like both aesthetically and from a typical personality is the Greyhound, and possibly the Whippet. 

According to a local adoption center, Greyhounds are large dogs, typically they have a few short bursts of energy and need to be taken out a few minutes a day for some intense exercise. This matches up perfectly with what we found doing our research on the breed online. Whippets are similar but lean slightly more towards the energetic jumpy Min Pin personality than the Greyhound. 

We are considering both purchasing a dog from puppyfind.com or from a local retired racer shelter. 

We have had problems with both of these methods though. 

With Puppyfind.com it seems like every Greyhound we find is either priced at over $1000 or comes from a shady breeder. With the local shelter it seems like every dog they try to match us up with has some kind of disability, personality issue, or other misc. trait that makes it a less than ideal pet. 

At this time my girlfriend and I are strongly leaning towards using puppyfind.com or other online websites and going with the more expensive but likely better breeders than adopting from a shelter or going for the cheap "shady" $500 breeders. 

I am basically writing this to ask the community here for advice on the situation.... 

I would like to know if we have other options in getting the Greyhound we are looking for or maybe if you guys know of Greyhounds not having the laid back couch potato / sprint personality we have been told by shelters and vets. 


Thanks a lot for reading, I eagerly await your replies.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Pretty much any breeder you find on puppyfind is going to be shady. . .sometimes a decent breeder will advertise on these venues but you can't just assume by price; you have to actually talk to the breeder and screen them carefully.

The usual way to get a Greyhound is to go through an agency that re-homes retired racers. Breeders of Greyhounds for pets are rare, and all puppies are insane to some degree (and it doesn't sound like you have any patience for normal puppy behavior). If your local Greyhound group doesn't have a dog that works for you, try a different group.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

If you get a dog, please get an adult. A puppy of any breed is going to act like (actually, probably worse than) that minpin, plus will bite and jump and do all kinds of things that you hate. I would be very unhappy to hear that you got sick of another dog and moved it out into the yard.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

I am already looking to get an adult dog 2 years + old but not a senior. The website I mentioned before actually has older dogs as well as puppies and I have been almost exclusively looking at the older dogs.


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## Selah Cowgirl (Nov 14, 2009)

Greyhounds and super chill dogs, more aloof and less needy then other dogs, which sounds like what you are looking for (more of a roommate then a child). But Geryhounds can be a ton of work trying to find a food they do well on and making sure you are protecting any small animals that might be in your household as well. 

Throwing a dog outside is pretty harsh, and I hope you have grown to realize that ignoring the dog is really immature and a shitty thing to do.

In your case I would go with a rescue where the staff can support you through the transitional period of being carefree and actually being responsible for another life. 

Don't go through a broker website. You get what you pay for in the dog world as much as you do anywhere else, but supporting a reasonable breeder who supports the breed club and rescues you are also supporting those organizations. 

If you are set on a breeder look into the breed club and see what they suggest as far as good breeders in your area.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

A Greyhound sounds like a pretty good fit.
They're large, but apparently do well in the house. If they get decent exercise they're happy to just lounge around on the couch. 

I'm pretty sure puppyfind is just a site for BYBs and Mills. I wouldn't get a dog from there just because of a moral obligation not to support those sorts of people.

A retired racer would likely work best. Retired racers don't always come from the best of situations. A lot of the "problems" can be easily solved with a bit of work.

Almost any dog you get, regardless of breed, method or background is going to have some issue you'll need to work through. 

If I can ask, what sort of 'problems' and 'disabilities' are listed with these dogs you've been matched with?


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

HollowHeaven said:


> A Greyhound sounds like a pretty good fit.
> They're large, but apparently do well in the house. If they get decent exercise they're happy to just lounge around on the couch.
> 
> I'm pretty sure puppyfind is just a site for BYBs and Mills. I wouldn't get a dog from there just because of a moral obligation not to support those sorts of people.
> ...


Well One had only 3 legs... another had a breathing condition, and another was partially deaf. 

If it was something small like allergies I wouldn't mind at all.


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

alazar14 said:


> Well One had only 3 legs... another had a breathing condition, and another was partially deaf.
> 
> If it was something small like allergies I wouldn't mind at all.


Any dog I've ever met with 3 legs managed to live just as happy and healthy of a life as any dog with 4 legs! I wouldn't count that as a major disability. As for the breed you're looking at, it is a good fit. But no dog is perfect, especially a rescue. Every one of them will have something you will have to work with consistently.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

alazar14 said:


> Well One had only 3 legs... another had a breathing condition, and another was partially deaf.
> 
> If it was something small like allergies I wouldn't mind at all.


Those are very minor issues -the breathing condition may or may not be.
I have never known of a dog with 3 legs having an issue. They are exactly like 4 legged dogs. 
Being partially deaf is a little something to work around, but I know of completely deaf dogs who live normal lives. We have a couple of members here with 100% deaf dogs who have no real issues.
The breathing condition may be something to look into.

Allergies can be a bigger issue than any of those three.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

I agree. I would rather have a deaf AND three legged dog, than a dog with allergies or a dog with respiratory problems.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

A dog with allergies can be a nightmare, trust me. I went through countless kibbles to find one my westie mix can eat. Thankfully, I've found one. Of course, she's also allergic to grass, so Spring, Summer, and Fall are lots of fun...a three legged dog is nothing, neither is partially deaf, compared to allergies.

Sorry if this sounds too blunt, but do you really want to give a dog the attention it wants/needs? It sounds like you like the idea of having a dog; just not taking care of a dog. They are pack animals, and as such, they crave attention from their pack members; i.e. YOU. Please don't get a dog until you're really willing and able to give it the attention he/she deserves. That's more than an hour and a half a day.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Yeah, I was kind of surprised to see that "we spend an hour to an hour and a half with the pup" thing, too. Do you mean actively working with the pup, or all together? I walk mine for an hour and a half every day, but that's aside from the time I spend playing with them, feeding them, training them, all that stuff. Even the easiest dogs require time and attention. It sounds like you don't like giving dogs attention, that it annoys you. If that's the case, I wouldn't recommend any dog.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

georgiapeach said:


> A dog with allergies can be a nightmare, trust me. I went through countless kibbles to find one my westie mix can eat. Thankfully, I've found one. Of course, she's also allergic to grass, so Spring, Summer, and Fall are lots of fun...a three legged dog is nothing, neither is partially deaf, compared to allergies.
> 
> Sorry if this sounds too blunt, but do you really want to give a dog the attention it wants/needs? It sounds like you like the idea of having a dog; just not taking care of a dog. They are pack animals, and as such, they crave attention from their pack members; i.e. YOU. Please don't get a dog until you're really willing and able to give it the attention he/she deserves. That's more than an hour and a half a day.


How much time does one need to spend with a dog? I figured an hour and a half a day would be plenty of time if the dog has room to play and run in and outside the home. I don't think any dog owner I know spends more than an hour a day playing with their dog and from what I can tell the dogs are all very happy and healthy.


I couldn't imagine having to spend 2-3 hours a day actually actively running and playing; I have never actually met a person who does.


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

I spend more than that with my dog! I couldn't imagine spending less!


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

alazar14 said:


> How much time does one need to spend with a dog? I figured an hour and a half a day would be plenty of time if the dog has room to play and run in and outside the home. I don't think any dog owner I know spends more than an hour a day playing with their dog and from what I can tell the dogs are all very happy and healthy.


Just to clarify... if you expect to spend about an hour and a half each day actively doing stuff with the dog, do you expect it to entertain itself for the rest of the day? I'm not sure we understand what you mean.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

An hour and a half would suffice provided you are actively engaging your dog. Not just sitting in the living room watching TV with the dog present, as an example. An hour and a half of walking, playing, and training... direct interaction. I think an average dog could be content just being in your presence after that, while probably coming up to you for the occasional plea for attention or petting.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

Crantastic said:


> Just to clarify... if you expect to spend about an hour and a half each day actively doing stuff with the dog, do you expect it to entertain itself for the rest of the day? I'm not sure we understand what you mean.



So how does a person with a career go about even having a dog if if we are supposed to spend the entire day entertaining it? I am sure there are engineers, doctors, professors, etc. with dogs. Many people with careers have very busy schedules (I know a lot of them) come home after work and play with their dogs for an hour or so then spend the rest of the evening inside WITH their dog but not actively playing with it. Are you saying these people are wrong to have dogs too?


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

Canyx said:


> An hour and a half would suffice provided you are actively engaging your dog. Not just sitting in the living room watching TV with the dog present, as an example. An hour and a half of walking, playing, and training... direct interaction. I think an average dog could be content just being in your presence after that, while probably coming up to you for the occasional plea for attention or petting.



I would be 100% fine doing this. In fact, this is exactly what I have been trying to say I would do. I didn't see it as me being a bad guy here, just me being a busy guy who would do his best to spend an hour and a half a day actively playing / walking his dog while spending the rest of the day at home with the dog petting it & socializing with it.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

I know some very happy dogs that are VERY loved, spoiled, but only get around 30 min-1 hour of walking every day/every other day. Otherwise they free roam the house and backyard. They get treats and hugs and kisses throughout the day spontaneously just because they are there. Sounds like a good life to me. 
BUT. You need the right dog for that lifestyle. Some dogs would go mad otherwise. I think a laid back, adult greyhound would be suitable for this.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

alazar14 said:


> Many people with careers have very busy schedules (I know a lot of them) come home after work and play with their dogs for an hour or so then spend the rest of the evening inside WITH their dog but not actively playing with it. Are you saying these people are wrong to have dogs too?


No.  It's fine to play with your dog for an hour and a half and then just hang out with it around. It's just that your minpin annoyed you by trying to get your attention, so we just wanted you to know that it's a normal dog thing for it to try to interact with you even if you're just hanging out.


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## Selah Cowgirl (Nov 14, 2009)

My question is beside the time playing/interacting with the dog what will the dog be doing? If you plan to put them outside and ignore them the rest of they day get a pet rock or a hamster or a pet rock, preferably a pet rock. 

If the dog is going to be inside and you are not going to just ignore it, if you are willing to stop and give ear scratches or play fetch for an extra two minutes, groom them while you veg on the couch then I think that is a different matter all together.

Personally I spend 4-6 hours focused on my dog in some way, weather I ride my horse to make sure he gets enough running time, or I am outside building fence and work on his recall intermittently. While we were in serious training I spent double that time entirely focused on him.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

I think the OP will be keeping the dog inside. 

My dog gets maybe 2 hours of direct interaction time during the work week. But he's also just 'around' in my office and I'll ask him to do a trick or throw out some trash occasionally. Doesn't sound too far removed from what the OP would be willing to offer. I think most dog owners overestimate the time they truly spend on their dog and ONLY the dog, because having a dog is more of a 'lifestyle' than anything else. Not pointing at you of course. But even for me, I think 'Wow, I spend a lot of time with Soro doing stuff with him and teaching him stuff!' But I'll bet if I actually had a stopwatch to time how much of the day I spend solely focused on him, it would come out to around 2 hours a day.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Yeah, mine get a couple hours of direct interaction on an average day, too... usually an hour to an hour and a half walk and then the time it takes to feed/brush/whatever. The rest of the time, they're hanging around me but I'm on the computer or doing stuff around the house or whatever. The only thing that concerned me was the OP putting the minpin outside because he found it annoying when the dog bugged him for attention. It's hard to guarantee that any breed won't do that.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

Canyx said:


> I think the OP will be keeping the dog inside.
> 
> My dog gets maybe 2 hours of direct interaction time during the work week. But he's also just 'around' in my office and I'll ask him to do a trick or throw out some trash occasionally. Doesn't sound too far removed from what the OP would be willing to offer. I think most dog owners overestimate the time they truly spend on their dog and ONLY the dog, because having a dog is more of a 'lifestyle' than anything else. Not pointing at you of course. But even for me, I think 'Wow, I spend a lot of time with Soro doing stuff with him and teaching him stuff!' But I'll bet if I actually had a stopwatch to time how much of the day I spend solely focused on him, it would come out to around 2 hours a day.


Yes he would be an inside dog. The only reason I ended up putting my first dog outside in the first place is because after about an hour and a half of direct walking, interaction, jogging, playing, etc. he still had all the energy in the world and I had to get my work done. This is why I am now looking for a older, more laid back couch potato dog. I don't mind interacting with him inside the home at all, but I do mind a dog that is always jumping off the walls and doesn't allow me to get my work done when I need to. If I don't do good work we don't eat and then no one is happy lol. 

I learned now not to get a small dog, or a very energetic breed. I told this to the people at the adoption center and they agreed that a Greyhound is a much better fit for my life style. Especially a 3-5 year old one.


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## TinyTails (May 16, 2011)

Honestly I work for a rescue and do rescue on my own as well and I would never adopt out a dog to you. Your min pin wanted attention and love as any puppy would and you banished it to the backyard bc it was annoying. If you would have just put some more effort into training and playing your dog would have matured and gotten through that stage. Then you got another dog and did not even give it a chance to settle into the home. It takes time....seems like you will just push the next one aside if any issue comes up


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

OP, I would suggest going back to the rescue and meeting a few of their greyhounds or contact a breed specific rescue or one that takes retired racers. 

Again, those problems you listed aren't really that bad at all. You might click with one of them.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

TinyTails said:


> Honestly I work for a rescue and do rescue on my own as well and I would never adopt out a dog to you. Your min pin wanted attention and love as any puppy would and you banished it to the backyard bc it was annoying. If you would have just put some more effort into training and playing your dog would have matured and gotten through that stage. Then you got another dog and did not even give it a chance to settle into the home. It takes time....seems like you will just push the next one aside if any issue comes up



My min pin was 2 years old when he was stolen from me. I played with it every day and spend a lot of time socializing and interacting with it on a daily basis. I really think you're over extrapolating the situation, the second dog BIT my girlfriend in the hand and made her bleed. All she did was try to give him a treat. I took him back and didn't mention the fact that he injured her so he would not be killed and would be adopted. He then got adopted into a loving home. I love how I'm suddenly the bad guy here.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Again, I think your dog of choice suits your lifestyle this time around. But I also just want to say that while some dogs are naturally more energetic, especially indoors, they can still be taught to settle and be out of your way. I adopted a small dog that sounds like yours: hyper energy, still going after hours of exercise, etc. It's not that I couldn't handle it, but I learned a dog like that doesn't mesh with my personality. I loved that she was ready for anything, from play to exercise to training. But I also like my downtime to be peaceful and even though I wasn't stressed out by her, and I was completely ready to train out any behavior problems, I never felt like I could properly relax in the house with her around. So I ended up with a perfectly well behaved and driven dog that I just didn't love. Hard to explain. This dog now belongs to my roommate who does significantly less exercise and training. But she loves that little dog to death and enjoys the hyperactivity that happens every day. Incidentally, my roommate is out of town and I am dogsitting as I type. Right now, she is chilling on the dog bed even though she's only had roughly an hour, hour and a half of walking today, though I'm about to take her and my dog out after I type this. But under my care she has been taught to do that. 
People must be tired of hearing me talk about this dog. But still, just wanted to throw in my two cents. I completely understand where you're coming from. And I think you're making a more responsible choice this time around.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

HollowHeaven said:


> OP, I would suggest going back to the rescue and meeting a few of their greyhounds or contact a breed specific rescue or one that takes retired racers.
> 
> Again, those problems you listed aren't really that bad at all. You might click with one of them.


I think I Will do that. I honestly would never have a Greyhound off the leash anyway. That would be completely irresponsible due to their strong pray drive. I bet I could learn to adapt to a deaf dog.


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## trainingjunkie (Feb 10, 2010)

It sounds like you are settled on the greyhound and not a whippet. In case you are still considering both, I would forget about the whippet. Mine is nuts. They have a tendency toward seperation anxiety. The bond very tightly and get clingy. They do not tend to respect fences that are lower than 6 feet. They want to be on you and the furniture mostly all the time. Mine is also a talker. She is pushy. She will play for hours. She's a lot of dog.

I was also unprepared for how intuitive and intelligent she is. She's a time commitment. She isn't content with a couple of hours a day. A whippet might be more active and needy than what you are looking for.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

trainingjunkie said:


> It sounds like you are settled on the greyhound and not a whippet. In case you are still considering both, I would forget about the whippet. Mine is nuts. They have a tendency toward seperation anxiety. The bond very tightly and get clingy. They do not tend to respect fences that are lower than 6 feet. They want to be on you and the furniture mostly all the time. Mine is also a talker. She is pushy. She will play for hours. She's a lot of dog.
> 
> I was also unprepared for how intuitive and intelligent she is. She's a time commitment. She isn't content with a couple of hours a day. A whippet might be more active and needy than what you are looking for.


I am 97% settled on the Greyhound. Only reason I mentioned the Whippet is in the off chance I run into one that matches my personality / life style perfectly. I doubt it will happen.


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## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

I have to say OP, I'm not really impressed with your dog choices thus far. Especially tossing the puppy in the backyard because he was annoying you. Adult dogs and greyhounds in particular sound like a good choice but I think you need to be careful about picking the right dog and making sure you're really prepared to commit 100% to it. Any dog you get will have an annoying adjustment period and you will have issues to work through no matter what breed you got. From what I hear greyhounds also have a tendency toward separation anxiety so while they should do fine with 40 min-1 hour of exercise daily they _cannot_ be left in the backyard. 

I don't spend more than an hour a day working actively with my dog. For us its probably closer to half an hour (plus lots of extra cuddle time and the dog is generally underfoot the whole day). Not all dogs need insane exercise and training, but most will need to live in the house and most will bug you for attention. If its a problem teach them a settle command. And again, be careful to choose a dog that fits your lifestyle and then remember that once you get the dog, you're committed for the length of the animals life, even if you made a less than ideal choice.


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## alazar14 (Feb 9, 2013)

aiw said:


> I have to say OP, I'm not really impressed with your dog choices thus far. Especially tossing the puppy in the backyard because he was annoying you. Adult dogs and greyhounds in particular sound like a good choice but I think you need to be careful about picking the right dog and making sure you're really prepared to commit 100% to it. Any dog you get will have an annoying adjustment period and you will have issues to work through no matter what breed you got. From what I hear greyhounds also have a tendency toward separation anxiety so while they should do fine with 40 min-1 hour of exercise daily they _cannot_ be left in the backyard.
> 
> I don't spend more than an hour a day working actively with my dog. For us its probably closer to half an hour (plus lots of extra cuddle time and the dog is generally underfoot the whole day). Not all dogs need insane exercise and training, but most will need to live in the house and most will bug you for attention. If its a problem teach them a settle command. And again, be careful to choose a dog that fits your lifestyle and then remember that once you get the dog, you're committed for the length of the animals life, even if you made a less than ideal choice.


I completely agree. That is why I have been doing my homework for a few months now, and I will be trying to adopt from a shelter now and not purchase online. I know the local shelter does personality screenings. I basically tell them my life style, and they try to match a dog that would work for it. It can take a few weeks to a few years to find a dog. I am willing to wait.


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## Whistlejacket (Jul 26, 2012)

alazar14 said:


> I took him back and didn't mention the fact that he injured her so he would not be killed and would be adopted. He then got adopted into a loving home. I love how I'm suddenly the bad guy here.


I'm not an expert, but from what you said (the dog bit your girlfriend while she was putting a treat in his food bowl) the dog was not aggressive, simply protective of his food. If he was eating from it when it happened, he may have thought that your girlfriend was going to take his food away from him. As a rule, I never bug a dog if it's eating, and especially not a dog I barely know... 

However, you seemed to think it truly was aggression, and in this case, I'm baffled that you didn't mention it to the shelter. I think it's irresponsible. Because the dog went to a new family, possibly a family with children. Do you realise how dangerous it could have been with a truly aggressive dog?


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## sclevenger (Nov 11, 2012)

I do believe you should have mentioned the dog bit someone over food, because yes it may have gone to a home with children or even adults for that matter should know problems ahead of time. However I don't think you were wrong in returning the dog to the shelter. Some dogs don't work out, and I know me personally having children I wouldn't keep a dog that bit hard enough to draw blood whatever its intentions may have been or whatever I may have done that it "precieved" as a threat. But the next family should have been aware that the dog had problems with what seems like resource guarding so they would be prepared. 

As far as your mini pin, Im sorry about him being stolen, you know now from experience what you should/could/would have done and what you don't want to do again. 

As far as for your next dog, if you find the RIGHT dog and RIGHT breed then you do NOT have to spend hours upon hours with your dog! My Aussie for example needed a hard hour or more of exercise and still wasn't content to sit around and let me work. However our beagle/bulldog mix we walked her sometimes every other day, she knew a lot of tricks, but we didn't spend hours and hours teaching her or spending time with her and she was content with that, she would lay near us or play with herself. 

I have a busy home, we both work full time jobs, have a 1.5 year old daughter, we don't have 5 hours a day to devote to our dogs, but they are happy and content and we love them. There are dogs out there for almost every type of lifestyle, the trick is doing your research, talking to people who own those breeds, if your adopting, spend time with that dog, make sure you ask any question you can think of, and be realistic with your expectations. 

Aussies are my heart bread, but I know at this point in my life I can't have one, no matter how much I love them and want another in my life, I just couldn't devote the time to what they need. Even if I had the best of intentions and told myself Im going to do it, i know that i won't or cant at this point. My point is if the breed you "want" just isn't right be honest with yourself and move on to a different breed.

However, an adult retired racer sounds like a good plan if you find the right one. I wouldn't let 3 legs deter me, but I think deaf or breathing problems might. Breathing problems for the obvious and as for being deaf, I don't have the time to put into teaching a deaf dog at this point. If my dog WENT deaf then I would, but to just go get one, I would never have the time or patience for it, were just to busy. 

Good luck on your search.


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## w49_boarding (May 13, 2011)

I would like to say that this thread has been much to negative. It seems like a lot of the posters here are trying to vilify a person who needs constructive feedback. What he does not need is a bunch of internet warriors making him feel like he is the scum of the earth. 

I think Canyx has been respectful while still informing them of what sort of commitment lies ahead. The tendency to jump on the group mentality negativity only leads to a disgruntled human being. It does not teach them what mistakes were made and how to over come them in the future. I want to emphasize that in no way am I condoning the behaviour he exhibited in the past. I feel like the chi was more of a case of ignorance.

Have you ever made a mistake?

Did you learn from the mistake by a group of hostile individuals going for the jugular. If every time here in the states someone defaulted on a loan or missed a payment would it be appropriate to bully them on their past transgressions. I would hope you would say no, and that the proper course of action is to teach the individual better money management skills for the future.

I am not saying any of you are wrong in your assumptions, but maybe try to help the OP in a positive manner. 

I know personally that I have a high energy breed (RR) and I spend at least an hour with them doing activities. I also know that I have been under heavy stress at times so I have put Mala out in the 6 foot fenced back yard for an hour so I could ge through conference calls. Does this make me a bad dog owner? 

I would think that it makes me human, and for every mistake I make I will make up for it by going for 25km hikes with the dog, or going swimming. I think I am a great dog owner, but we all make mistakes.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

w49_boarding, have you lurked on this board before joining? This thread is actually quite tame. We tend to be pretty blunt here, although we avoid personal attacks. If people don't like our opinions, they are free to ignore them. It's interesting, though... in threads like this, the OP often seems fine and brushes off the criticism (or clarifies his or her point of view), while it's some unrelated poster who feels like they should come in and play white knight. I find that sort of thing can actually make the situation worse, turning a thread into an argument when it wasn't one before. Most people can fight their own battles -- if they even want to. This thread's OP seems perfectly capable of handling himself, clarifying things when asked, and explaining how he plans to do better with this dog.


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## Whistlejacket (Jul 26, 2012)

w49, I agree that we all make mistakes in our lives, including with our dogs. It's normal. However, it's also normal to react strongly to a subject one is sensitive about, in this case, dogs. There is a difference between putting your dog outside for an hour, like you do, and moving it outside permanently (which is what happened if I understood the original post correctly) when you are aware that small dogs are frequently stolen from their backyards. That being said, OP seems to be commited to dog ownership and to have researched the breeds he's interested in this time, which is of course a good thing, but I think most posters are reacting so strongly simply because they are worried. I don't think anyone here thinks OP is "the scum of the earth", nor is trying to make him feel like he is.


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## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

I think its good for OP to see that leaving a small breed companion dog outside is _really_ not considered acceptable. That said I think he's handled himself really well in accepting criticism for past mistakes and best of all willingness to learn and do differently in the future. Its really good to see a poster doing research and taking their time to find the right situation, its true that a bad match just makes misery all round. Greyhound sounds like a good choice to me, they are in general very attached to owners though so while they probably won't bug you to play 24/7 they will probably want to be around you and get cuddles 24/7. I find the latter a lot easier to handle. Most dogs don't need more than an hour a day of active exercise (a lot need less) but there is just a general 'underfoot' factor for most dogs as well. I think if OP takes their time they will find a good match in an adult, calm dog.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

w49_boarding said:


> I know personally that I have a high energy breed (RR) and I spend at least an hour with them doing activities. I also know that I have been under heavy stress at times so I have put Mala out in the 6 foot fenced back yard for an hour so I could ge through conference calls. Does this make me a bad dog owner?


Except, the dog wasn't in the yard for a short time while they got their work done. It LIVED out there for two years, and was eventually stolen from lack of supervision.

OP also got a dog, and gave up on it in a VERY short time. Not only did the OP give up on a new dog and return it to a shelter, but they failed to mention the dog had bitten someone, therefore putting others in danger.


That was irresponsibility more so than a mistake. Or at least I consider it as such.

Nobody is white knighting or trying to degrade the OP, just posting our frank opinions. At the same time, a lot of us have also tried to be helpful in the OP's search for the right dog.


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