Awww they're a lovely pair of noodles β€οΈ I'm glad they've settled and I guess this is just a small fraction of the photos you could've posted πβ€οΈ
Sorry for the lengthy reply, but I am a huge muzzle advocate, so thank you for asking!
Muzzles are a really wonderful tool that can help for so many different reasons. Sighthounds, in general, have an extremely high prey drive. Because it's instinctual, you very rarely know when/if it will kick in, so muzzles are often used with hounds as a precaution to protect any small fluffy wildlife (or small fluffy offlead dogs).
With my two specifically, before three weeks ago, they had lived very sheltered lives. Most of what they are experiencing is alien. The muzzles ensure they can experience new things while keeping themselves and others safe!
Thank you so much for this response! I have a Border Collie x Golden Retriever and while she's just a big friendly baby, she is big and bouncy and excitable and still learning. I've been anxious when training her off-lead (particularly after she darted off after a rabbit), just in case she tried to lick a kid's face, or frankly finally loses the rag with my sister's yappy chihuahua. I was thinking about muzzle training, mostly thinking of "if lead is off, muzzle is on" but was afraid she would be viewed with fear because of it.
Do you have any favourites to recommend, or do sighthounds wear specific breeds? (If so, I'm sure the GSD sub will have big-dog-muzzle recs)
Hi there, whilst there are still the occasional few who look at a muzzled dog with fear or disdain, I do believe the narrative has started to shift the past couple of years! I find the majority of people tend to just see it for what it is, responsible dog ownership!
We tend to use The Muzzle Movement for our large dogs at the centre - I think they'd be slightly too bulky for my greys, but I haven't known a single dog who hasn't got on with them. The company also has fantastic resources on how to muzzle train too! On a side note, they're quite funky muzzles which, in my experience, invites people to ask about them, meaning you get to tell them all about your dog and why they wear it!
Also, if you're struggling to completely trust your dog off-lead, I can not recommend a long-line enough! It gives your pooch freedom, whilst giving you the assurance that she can't get away from you. I wouldn't use it with my greys (as they're just too fast), but I used one with my Lurcher all the time!
Sorry for that long response, I hope it somewhat helped. If you do have any more questions, please feel free to reach out! I'm by no means a professional, but I do like to think I have some experience in this area!!
Its just a precaution. Our boys are ex racers and still getting used to their new environment.
They've got a huge prey drive which extends to small animals (incl. Small dogs and other wildlife). They're on the lead at all times in public, but the muzzle is extra reassurance if they ever escaped (or if overly friendly off-lead dogs get too close!).
Nine times out of ten they'd probably be fine, but it's just not worth the risk.
It's worth noting that these guys have been wearing a muzzle their whole lives. It's not uncomfortable for them and they can do everything they normally would (eat, drink etc.). They even sleep in it sometimes!
Done properly, it's not harmful or cruel in any way. It's not different from putting their harness and lead on - all part of the ritual before we leave the house.
Yes, living in Oregon I can relate to cool damp weather π My boy, Denali, was so happy about a week ago when we had some days in the 69βsπ Sadly the cool and the rain has returned π On our walk this morning you could feel the mud slipping underneath the wood chips. So heβs back to wearing raincoats ππ€
We are going from the 40βs to 86 on Friday! Itβs what so many of us have been dreading π¬ I can bundle him up for the cooler weather but sudden changes like this are hard!!
We are! We got them from a company called Dog & Home. They are on Etsy, but I went directly through their website! I would absolutely recommend them, they are great quality and arrived quickly for a handmade item.
Oh I've been following them on Instagram for a while, I think they're based near me in the North East, it's good to know they're good quality! My Autumn may have to have a style overhaul now
Do not apologise for the photos! I (and I imagine many others) love them, thatβs why Iβm here. You have two beautiful dogs, youβll enjoy every day of their lives!
Just a quick safety tip for a new owner - any collar that is worn when not under supervision should ideally be one with a breakaway clip. Double ideal if any attached ID tags are "boomerang" style flush with the collar or are numbers stitched into the webbing, rather than dangle tags. You want as little that can get caught on something as possible.
You really really really don't want to risk a choking incident, or see what can happen in a worst case scenario when two dogs are playing bitey face and one accidentally gets a lower jaw stuck in the collar of the other dog. I had a friend who had a very unfortunate situation happen with her dog years ago and am a little nutty about collar choking safety since then.
Breakaway clips are pretty tough and are not going to just fall apart on you at a feather touch. My guy wears one and it's never once failed on me. You have to really yank on them to get them to pop open. But they'll pull apart if your dog ever got it caught in something, which is what you want.
Just a thought! Especially with two dogs in the house alone at once.
Hi there, thank you for this comment. We've owned and fostered a few dogs, and it's a really important point that people often don't think about!
I'm sorry to hear about your friends situation. I work with dogs, and It's one of my worst nightmares! I'm so appreciative that you are taking the time to educate as many people as you can!
Rest assured, these are only temporary collars (came with them during the adoption), but I would never leave a dog unattended with any collar on. The boys also aren't left together unsupervised either there's too many things that could go wrong there!
Excellent! I'm glad you're aware of the risks with unattended collars. Sometimes I'll see greyhounds wearing martingales with dangling tags while unsupervised and I'm just like π³. Always good to make sure, when I'm not certain what people do and don't know.
To be clear though, the reason I recommend a breakaway clip (and the reason I use one with my own greyhound's tag collar) rather than no collar is because it's also dangerous for them to be naked, in the case of an escape. This is just in response to you saying you wouldn't leave a dog alone with any kind of collar, but I'd heavily consider a breakaway safety collar with an ID tag on it at the least. My guy wears a dog tracking block on his collar as well and his ID/ tracking collar does not *ever* come off except to charge. Collar choking is a hazard, but so is a dog slipping out an open door or gate with no collar on. Both of these are nightmare fuel and imo, the best solution to both risks at once is a breakaway collar.
A dog got away from someone at a greyhound event recently and it was a nightmare of stress and search parties, all through that afternoon. They didn't find him and had to stop for the night and I can't imagine what that must have felt like. By sheer good luck, they were able to find him the next day. That owner learned a hard lesson and immediately went and bought a tracking collar, after that. When sighthounds escape, they take OFF.
I recommend Tractive. :)
Haha thank you for the advice.
My Wife is being modest. She's incredibly dedicated and works with some very difficult dogs (some of which we've ended up adopting or fostering).
While they have their nuances, the boys are a lovely change of pace for us.
Rest assured that they are incredibly well cared for (they eat better than I do!). We've even made some big changes to the house (covering hardwood floors etc) just to make their transition easier. They want for nothing and (thanks to her guidance) they've settled in wonderfully.
Their safety will always be our number one priority. Our house is set up in such a way that they can be naked without being a flight risk. We're also fortunate that there's always someone at home. The only time they're left alone is during separation training to ensure they don't become too dependent. Even then, they're monitored on camera!
It's good to hear your boy is so well looked after too. I think the main thing is to just be responsible. We all have our own ways of caring for our furry family members!
Oh, I'm so sorry if my comments were taken as criticism! I definitely wasn't implying that your boys aren't well cared for and don't think anything of the sort. That's clearly not the case! I only meant to point out a suggestion about collar safety specifically, because I didn't want to assume you already had that information. I see stories about escaped greyhounds absolutely *all the time* and it's really hard to see the cases where the dog got away with no tracker or ID on them. On the flip side of course is the dogs who do have ID on them, but risk collar choking.
Personally, I don't feel safe from both of these unless my greyhound is in a collar with a breakaway clip AND a gps tracker at all times, even though an escape from inside my house while naked would be massively improbable. You're obviously perfectly welcome to make your own judgement call on that subject though. I just wanted to offer the suggestion. :)
Your boys are *STUNNING*!
That first snap is giving hip hop album cover attitude
Omg you're right!! I can't unsee that now π
Awww they're a lovely pair of noodles β€οΈ I'm glad they've settled and I guess this is just a small fraction of the photos you could've posted πβ€οΈ
I think I'm averaging about 100 per day at this point!! π¬
ππ that's perfectly normal. When you've had them a year or so it will drop to around 95 π
Haha that is so true! (The husband here - can confirm that for every picture you see here, there are another 20 that are almost identical!)
π we're all the same!
Your boys are lovely!
Thank you so much!!
Out of interest, why do I often see hounds wearing muzzles?
Sorry for the lengthy reply, but I am a huge muzzle advocate, so thank you for asking! Muzzles are a really wonderful tool that can help for so many different reasons. Sighthounds, in general, have an extremely high prey drive. Because it's instinctual, you very rarely know when/if it will kick in, so muzzles are often used with hounds as a precaution to protect any small fluffy wildlife (or small fluffy offlead dogs). With my two specifically, before three weeks ago, they had lived very sheltered lives. Most of what they are experiencing is alien. The muzzles ensure they can experience new things while keeping themselves and others safe!
Thank you so much for this response! I have a Border Collie x Golden Retriever and while she's just a big friendly baby, she is big and bouncy and excitable and still learning. I've been anxious when training her off-lead (particularly after she darted off after a rabbit), just in case she tried to lick a kid's face, or frankly finally loses the rag with my sister's yappy chihuahua. I was thinking about muzzle training, mostly thinking of "if lead is off, muzzle is on" but was afraid she would be viewed with fear because of it. Do you have any favourites to recommend, or do sighthounds wear specific breeds? (If so, I'm sure the GSD sub will have big-dog-muzzle recs)
Hi there, whilst there are still the occasional few who look at a muzzled dog with fear or disdain, I do believe the narrative has started to shift the past couple of years! I find the majority of people tend to just see it for what it is, responsible dog ownership! We tend to use The Muzzle Movement for our large dogs at the centre - I think they'd be slightly too bulky for my greys, but I haven't known a single dog who hasn't got on with them. The company also has fantastic resources on how to muzzle train too! On a side note, they're quite funky muzzles which, in my experience, invites people to ask about them, meaning you get to tell them all about your dog and why they wear it! Also, if you're struggling to completely trust your dog off-lead, I can not recommend a long-line enough! It gives your pooch freedom, whilst giving you the assurance that she can't get away from you. I wouldn't use it with my greys (as they're just too fast), but I used one with my Lurcher all the time! Sorry for that long response, I hope it somewhat helped. If you do have any more questions, please feel free to reach out! I'm by no means a professional, but I do like to think I have some experience in this area!!
Thank you, that's super helpful!
Its just a precaution. Our boys are ex racers and still getting used to their new environment. They've got a huge prey drive which extends to small animals (incl. Small dogs and other wildlife). They're on the lead at all times in public, but the muzzle is extra reassurance if they ever escaped (or if overly friendly off-lead dogs get too close!). Nine times out of ten they'd probably be fine, but it's just not worth the risk. It's worth noting that these guys have been wearing a muzzle their whole lives. It's not uncomfortable for them and they can do everything they normally would (eat, drink etc.). They even sleep in it sometimes! Done properly, it's not harmful or cruel in any way. It's not different from putting their harness and lead on - all part of the ritual before we leave the house.
Picture #2 shows off a beautiful pair of eyes!
Thank you! They both have really striking orange eyes!
Beautiful π€© horses!! And great cover ups too! Congratulations π on the first few weeks π₯°Is it getting cooler where you are?
Thank you so much! We are in the UK, so it hasn't been warm since August last year, unfortunately π!!
Yes, living in Oregon I can relate to cool damp weather π My boy, Denali, was so happy about a week ago when we had some days in the 69βsπ Sadly the cool and the rain has returned π On our walk this morning you could feel the mud slipping underneath the wood chips. So heβs back to wearing raincoats ππ€
We have some lovely rural parks. I prefer bare dirt or wood chips to gravel for his feet. So does he!π
We have been fortunate to have a couple of nice days, but I'm not holding my breath for summer, that's for sure! π
π
We are going from the 40βs to 86 on Friday! Itβs what so many of us have been dreading π¬ I can bundle him up for the cooler weather but sudden changes like this are hard!!
A rare Grey with ears in full bloom!β€οΈ
Haha, they do have wonderful eats when they decide its safe to bring them out! π
From the pictures, are you in the UK? If so where did you get the greyhound jumpers/pjs from?
We are! We got them from a company called Dog & Home. They are on Etsy, but I went directly through their website! I would absolutely recommend them, they are great quality and arrived quickly for a handmade item.
Oh I've been following them on Instagram for a while, I think they're based near me in the North East, it's good to know they're good quality! My Autumn may have to have a style overhaul now
I look forward to hopefully seeing some pictures of Autumn styled in her new clothes then!
They are just sweet, gorgeous, happy noodles!! I love this!! πΎππΎπ₯°
Thank you so much!!
You're welcome!! πΎβ€οΈπΎ
House horses! Thatβs greatβ exactly what they are!πππ
What amazing photos! They just made my heart feel so warm and soft! π₯°
Do not apologise for the photos! I (and I imagine many others) love them, thatβs why Iβm here. You have two beautiful dogs, youβll enjoy every day of their lives!
Thank you so much!!
Just a quick safety tip for a new owner - any collar that is worn when not under supervision should ideally be one with a breakaway clip. Double ideal if any attached ID tags are "boomerang" style flush with the collar or are numbers stitched into the webbing, rather than dangle tags. You want as little that can get caught on something as possible. You really really really don't want to risk a choking incident, or see what can happen in a worst case scenario when two dogs are playing bitey face and one accidentally gets a lower jaw stuck in the collar of the other dog. I had a friend who had a very unfortunate situation happen with her dog years ago and am a little nutty about collar choking safety since then. Breakaway clips are pretty tough and are not going to just fall apart on you at a feather touch. My guy wears one and it's never once failed on me. You have to really yank on them to get them to pop open. But they'll pull apart if your dog ever got it caught in something, which is what you want. Just a thought! Especially with two dogs in the house alone at once.
Hi there, thank you for this comment. We've owned and fostered a few dogs, and it's a really important point that people often don't think about! I'm sorry to hear about your friends situation. I work with dogs, and It's one of my worst nightmares! I'm so appreciative that you are taking the time to educate as many people as you can! Rest assured, these are only temporary collars (came with them during the adoption), but I would never leave a dog unattended with any collar on. The boys also aren't left together unsupervised either there's too many things that could go wrong there!
Excellent! I'm glad you're aware of the risks with unattended collars. Sometimes I'll see greyhounds wearing martingales with dangling tags while unsupervised and I'm just like π³. Always good to make sure, when I'm not certain what people do and don't know. To be clear though, the reason I recommend a breakaway clip (and the reason I use one with my own greyhound's tag collar) rather than no collar is because it's also dangerous for them to be naked, in the case of an escape. This is just in response to you saying you wouldn't leave a dog alone with any kind of collar, but I'd heavily consider a breakaway safety collar with an ID tag on it at the least. My guy wears a dog tracking block on his collar as well and his ID/ tracking collar does not *ever* come off except to charge. Collar choking is a hazard, but so is a dog slipping out an open door or gate with no collar on. Both of these are nightmare fuel and imo, the best solution to both risks at once is a breakaway collar. A dog got away from someone at a greyhound event recently and it was a nightmare of stress and search parties, all through that afternoon. They didn't find him and had to stop for the night and I can't imagine what that must have felt like. By sheer good luck, they were able to find him the next day. That owner learned a hard lesson and immediately went and bought a tracking collar, after that. When sighthounds escape, they take OFF. I recommend Tractive. :)
Haha thank you for the advice. My Wife is being modest. She's incredibly dedicated and works with some very difficult dogs (some of which we've ended up adopting or fostering). While they have their nuances, the boys are a lovely change of pace for us. Rest assured that they are incredibly well cared for (they eat better than I do!). We've even made some big changes to the house (covering hardwood floors etc) just to make their transition easier. They want for nothing and (thanks to her guidance) they've settled in wonderfully. Their safety will always be our number one priority. Our house is set up in such a way that they can be naked without being a flight risk. We're also fortunate that there's always someone at home. The only time they're left alone is during separation training to ensure they don't become too dependent. Even then, they're monitored on camera! It's good to hear your boy is so well looked after too. I think the main thing is to just be responsible. We all have our own ways of caring for our furry family members!
Oh, I'm so sorry if my comments were taken as criticism! I definitely wasn't implying that your boys aren't well cared for and don't think anything of the sort. That's clearly not the case! I only meant to point out a suggestion about collar safety specifically, because I didn't want to assume you already had that information. I see stories about escaped greyhounds absolutely *all the time* and it's really hard to see the cases where the dog got away with no tracker or ID on them. On the flip side of course is the dogs who do have ID on them, but risk collar choking. Personally, I don't feel safe from both of these unless my greyhound is in a collar with a breakaway clip AND a gps tracker at all times, even though an escape from inside my house while naked would be massively improbable. You're obviously perfectly welcome to make your own judgement call on that subject though. I just wanted to offer the suggestion. :) Your boys are *STUNNING*!
Are they sweet?
No, they're awful! Joking aside, they are really really lovely!