agreed,but I think to start a thread where it demonises greyhounds as being a dangerous breed that shouldn't be trusted is wrong,plain and simple.I would'nt trust a lab now,but if someone started a thread on dangerous labs im sure there'd be an outcry!!!greyhounds,unfortunately, seem to be an easy target for some people.

Thankyou Paula,that is the point i was trying to get across!!no doubt my grey would be in the wrong for having a go back at something that came bounding upto her.Any dog owner should be responsible for what their dog is doing ,whether its a large or small dog!!!to say large dogs should put up with this kind of behaviour all the time and put up with it is unfair.I wish my girl would growl to get them to back off,but she's too dopey and little dogs frighten her after having her nose SAVAGED by one

The point your missing is that greyhounds can have a desire to chase small things nmost of us agree that as long as precautions are taken it's never a problem.
I have been on the recieving end of such as when my cat was 14 years old next door neighbours had a rescue that had been usd for racing and one day as they came out of there flat door I was mine and the cat ran out and was chased down by the dog which caught him and ripped his stomach out, we were all devasted but the dog could not be blamed as it was in him, however I do think great care should be taken when they are out and about and if that means muzzeling then so be it if it saves alot of distress all round.
I also had a rescue dog when I was little who was a staffie greyhound cross who disliked other dogs and loved chasing ducks so guess what we never let her off lead and was always cautious to avoid other dogs.
It's not a whitch hut it's being realistic!

>I think to start a thread where it demonises greyhounds as being a dangerous breed that shouldn't be trusted is wrong

The time to protest about the thread was when it was started, not resurrect something that's long dead and buried! ;-) However greyhound experts will tell you that they can be dangerous to small animals, especially the ones that have been taught and encouraged to chase in their young days, and so caution is needed when they're around small animals. It's not demonising, it's being realistic.

I see dogs on the beach chasing geese and seagulls when the tide is out everyday!!!!they are NOT greyhounds.Greyhounds are not the only dogs that will chase a cat,a bird,a rabbit,or any other small animal.my friends alsation/lab cross will chase cats or small furries,doesn't make him dangerous,thats just the way he is

And that is what were saying the "owner" has a responsibilty to acess the dogs breed tendancy and take the steps to prevent naughty things happening, as for the little dogs by me I know most of them are not let off so they can not get onto trouble, on one hand your complaining that greyhounds are getting a bad rap but you seem to be doing the same thing about little "fluffys" as you call them.

>I see dogs on the beach chasing geese and seagulls when the tide is out everyday!!!!they are NOT greyhounds.

You're missing the point. :-) All dogs will chase, because dogs (as a species) are predators. Sighthounds have been specially bred for hundreds of years to be better at it than the rest, and owners of sighthounds (greyhounds are included in this) will recognise that. However ex-racing greyhounds have not only got the hundreds of years of breeding behind them, they also received direct training to further encourage them to do it. It's not an insult to them - it's facing the fact and dealing with it sppropriately.

.my friends alsation/lab cross will chase cats or small furries,doesn't make him dangerous,thats just the way he is

The big difference , as many people have pointed out, is that a GSD/ Labrador cross was not deliberately bred to run and chase. One parent was bred to herd, the other to retrieve. So it's not showing typical characteristics. Like JG says, you need to know your breeds, what they were developed for, and act accordingly. For instance I wouldn't sell a malinois to somebody who wanted a dog that would allow anyone into the house even if the owners were not at home, as the breed guards.

because if your saying greyhounds should be muzzled and on a short lead,why should'nt the little dogs that constantly cause a problem be too?why if someones little dog bites my dogs face should it be left to run around and do it to someone elses dog too??my girl is always on her lead,these little dogs never are around where I live

> if your saying greyhounds should be muzzled and on a short lead

Ex-racing greyhounds (such as the one in the original post) have been brought up that way - they always wear muzzles when they're not in their kennels, it's not a hardship to them, any more than wearing a collar. And yes, any dog that harasses others should be kept under control, whatever its size.

I'm afraid were talking to a brick wall with a bee in the bonnet and anything we say is falling on deaf ears.

after all the times my girls been attacked,I couldn't leave her defenceless against a dog that attacked her by making her wearing a muzzle.its all very well saying it stops her attacking other dogs,what about when dogs attack her,hence the lab post earlier

You have just as much right to complain about them and insist their owners control them as anyone else.

The point of the original post is that dogs which have been trained to chase and attack small furry objects (and whose ancestors were only bred from because they were keen and enthusiastic at doing the same thing) must make sure that the dog can't misdirect its training and injure a real animal. Therefore the sensible owner of an ex-racer walks it in a muzzle, just as its trainer did before it was retired. They knew what they were doing.

The point is that all dog owners should be aware of what their breed was originally designed for

In total agreement with Mastiff and JG, if only people did understand their breeds underlying and instinctive traits more it would save a lot of dog problems we have today.

Training our dogs from an easy sit, retrieving, recall or to hunt as we wish them helps to not irradicate their instinctual behaviour but to use it to work in unisom with us. But we have to remember those traits are always there to work independatly, it's in their genetics and can easily over-ride all we have taught them, as wonderful and well behaved as our dogs are and most of us do have dogs under control, some may never do anything remotely trait like, they are always animals first and can revert to instinct we must remember that and never take it for granted.

might be a brick wall Boody,better than being arrogant and rude.give me brick wall anytime thanks

How you can say it arogance is beyond me most of us have agreed with you and I even said idudnt blame the dog ghat killed my cat which I think most people would of, but you just keep harping back to dogs attacking yours. all dogs should be jugded on own merits and if your having problems with dogs you should do something abou it but this post was not ABOUT your dog, so the replys related to origanl post

The problem I can see between our posters here is that many are speaking of the breed trait of the greyhound and in particular man trained greyhounds, leading many greyhounds to attack small dogs, it's well documentated that they do this. Whereas you are speaking only of your own greyhound and the effects of it being attacked by other dogs, the two subjects are different.

Your greyhound if not an ex racer may be perfectly trustworthy around small dogs and never harm a fly.

I'm sorry your dog has been attacked, it is obvious where your anger is coming from, the people responsible for that happening did not have control of their dogs any breed can have characters in it which are aggressive, along with adolescent attacks and hormonal attacks these things happen in all breeds, but it is down to the owner to control that at all times.

I've just seen this thread. Wouldnt normally comment on something so old but i cannot ignore the comment isissarah has made > funny when its a greyhound it becomes a major discussion,yet with any other dog it seems to be ok. Er no, this is not the case. Regardless of any breed it would be a major discussion here becuase we are all dog lovers that would be shocked and appauled to hear of any innocent dog being attacked by another (regardless of breed)

Hi.

I'm a bit confused, you've come onto an old thread and got annoyed because you feel people are judging a breed for something and then say:-

im sure labs are very nice dogs even though I would never own one  after the attack,doesn't change the fact that two people have had dogs attacked by them just on this thread.

So basically are judging all labs based on a one off incident on your dog, which is a bit contradictory.  I have a Doberman, there are lots of people who judge them and see them as nasty aggressive dogs they aren't but they can have a strong guarding instinct which needs taking into account. 

I have two sight hounds so am extra careful about them chasing and make sure they are introduced careful and under close supervision around small animals, some people maybe nasty about them but so what they aren't going to get the opportunity with mine because I will make sure they do no harm to other animals. 

All people should be mindful of their breeds natural instincts and traits and for sighthounds that is chasing and maybe catching maybe killing, nobody is disputing other breeds can do the same but with some breeds in is a firly sure thing.

Unfortunately owning certain breeds means that there are stereotypes and bad pres and all sorts that go along with it - much better to educate others and have ambassadors for the breed than getting angry with other people about it as it doesn't do anything to change anyones mind!