I just let my two ex racing greyhounds Kyiro and Lily out in the garden for their bedtime wees.  They trotted out  happily and then come to an abrupt halt as there sitting in the garden was a cat.
The cat moved and the pair of them turned tail and shot indoors.
I went out and shooed the cat away  and kept calling them back out but there is no way they are going back out in that garden.  They got near the back door and peered round the corner, but they were convinced the killer cat must be in hiding waiting for them so ran back in the living room and onto the sofa.

There was I under the misconception that greyhounds are mean't to chase small furry things, perhaps if the hare had chased them on the track they would have been top winning hounds.

That's so funny :)

Those without the instinct to chase are rejected even before they ever race. 

They are probably the easiest to re-home too as will be young, and hopefully not had time for injuries.

My boy raced till he was 3years old and my girl till she was 5years old, so they must have chased at some point, they just have had no inclination since being in a home to do it anymore.

Perhaps they just didn't generalise, Electric Hare to all small furries.

Someoen I know always owned Racers that raced, but once retired kept them as Pets, one of his while on a lead walk, caught and killed a cat on a wall, just walkign past.  It was so quick.

I love it!!!!
I got very frustrated when people told me I couldnt possible have a greyhound/lurcher/whippet etc with my poodle as 'they all want to chase small furries' I was sure i would find the perfect dog and I did. A lurcher who hasnt shown any signs of wanting to chase anything small or fluffys. Goes to show you cannot generalise and assume.
:-)

> A lurcher who hasnt shown any signs of wanting to chase anything small or fluffys. Goes to show you cannot generalise and assume.

No you absolutely can't BUT it pays not to ignore generations of selective breeding for just those traits.  An inexperienced dog owner would do well to understand what their dog was bred for when deciding whether they can cope, particularly as some behaviours may lie 'dormant' until a certain set of triggers activate the instinct...  I have no sympathy for the type of owner who chooses a scent hound, for instance, and then moans that they can't get it's head off the floor!!

Love the sound of your dogs bevb - I agree the sofa is definitely the safest place when there are predators around :)

We used to have a whippet/pointer cross, we adopted him aged about 2 - long story -from some friends. Before we brought him home we were visiting and Freckles kept faffing about by the back door but refused to go out. Steve had a look and a big scary cat from up the road was eating Freckles bone in Freckles garden and staring at him

I will always keep it in the back of my mind what his breed trait is and can never 100% trust him.it could be years but one day he may surprise us by going for a chase to kill. I agree that you cannot ignore what a dog has been bred for but not every dog complies.there are exceptions to the rules.

I have a St Bernard. Associated with snow. Hmm. My fella didnt read that chapter on how to be as Saint. He LOVES stretching in front of the fire and toasting! I think he would go on strike if it snowed here!