hello everyone.
We have been researching dogs for our family - two children aged 11 and 8, house with garden, me at home, in London. We love pointy dogs especially.
I would like to rescue a dog. But I have just been advised AGAINST doing this, because  of the unknown quantity of how the dog would be with children..

what do you think please?

( have been warned that it will be difficult to get the dog settled  in the family pecking order  if we dont get a puppy, and that we may end up with a temperamentally unsuited dog.)

The other question I have is  this. We love whippets, and wonder if they are a little too nervous to be happy with living with two boy children. What about whippet x's. 
There are some beautiful whippet x collies around... I  imagine that they then need a LOT more stimulation/excercise.... and  may not like living in town, so much.

Any info/experiences/thoughts you can share will be good grist to the mill.
thankyou.

hi

There will dogs in rescue homes that have came from a family back ground but through no fault of their own ended up in a rescue home, It might be worth going along and having a look.

Personally I love staffordshire bull terriers, I have 1, he is fantastic with children, i really can not fault him , but they can be very enegetic (bull in a china shop) Little boys can be ruff and staffies are tuff enought to cope with anything a child puts there way,   i have recently baught a lurcher X saluki he is brilliant with children to and a bit more laid back.

I have  never had any thing to do with whippets, so cant advise you there.  Good luck, and i hope you find your perfect companion and have many years of love and happiness.

regards
sheli

whippets are not nervous, they are an aloof breed - like all sight hounds - it just isnt typical of these breeds to rush up and say hello. Im sure a whippet could be a great pet for your 2 children.

Most of the big rescue organisations will carefully asses their dogs before rehoming, so you can rehome a dog from them with children with much more confidence.

Have a look at http://www.dogpages.org.uk
Archer

an aussie. they love to learn and are herding dogs. i have one my self and i am 10. it is soooo easy to handle them. even if it is your first dog.

LOL

The whippets I've known have been really delightful, not nervous and very affectionate ;) they adore company and love comfort ;)

Hope this helps :)

Never had a whippet myself but I have a friend who bred greyhounds and surprisingly they dont need any more excercise than any average family dog and two young boys would help provide enough fun and aerobic workout running around in the garden anyway!!!!!!;) A greyhound is bigger than a whippet and the ones I've met are very friendly and didnt seem nervous around children. An added bonus is that they shed very little hair! Many of these dogs are abandoned after their racing career is over and with careful choosing from a reputable rehoming centre, a rescued greyhound (or whippet) should make a loving pet.

Would perhaps stay away from a collie or collie cross with children around as without a lot of excersise and plenty mental stimulation they can get problematic, esp with herding or nipping the kids like sheep (I had one once and because of this we had to rehome him). They are not bad or vicious, just better as working country dogs in my opinion. Beautiful dogs though and very smart!!

I hope you find the right dog and have loads of fun

My greyhound must be a freek lol she casts for england i hoover twice a day. lol

She is a rescue, and she is fantastic with my neices and nephews. very affectionate loving dogs.

How about a rescue greyhound?  I think Rescue's CA work aslong as you go the right way about it :)  Very similar to the whipit however bigger and sturdier! :) 

Worth considering?

I wouldn't totally write off taking a rescue dog, like others have said. We took a year old xchow from blue cross in banbury who is now 13yrs old & by far the most trustworthy dog with people/children we have ever known. He has never so much as looked funny at anyone & is extremely tolerant with children. The shelter had some background info on him so this helped us choose him & I'm glad we did. 
Good luck

I'm sure that Whippets must have a rescue organisation too ;) the secretaries of the different clubs would be able to tell you about this and about responsible breeders :)

EAST ANGLIAN WHIPPET CLUB. Sec. Miss A Morland. Tel No: 01778 422602
MIDLAND WHIPPET CLUB. Sec. Mrs D Morgan
NATIONAL WHIPPET ASSOC. Sec. Mrs M Blanks. Tel No: 01268 288091
SOUTH WEST WHIPPET CLUB. Sec. Ms A P Vickerstaff. Tel No: 01209 821979
WHIPPET CLUB. Sec. Mr D F Mayger. Tel No: 01494 523372

Hi,

Whoever advised you against a rescue dog was wrong to do so, rescue dogs are very carefully assessed and the carers will advise you which dogs are and are not good with children, which are social, and which need a special patient owner.  Remember a lot of these dogs have come from once loving homes, where divorces, job moves, etc. etc. have forced them to send their dogs to rescue.  There are so many beautiful, loving dogs there, the rescues will want each dog to go to the perfect home if possible, so they will be very helpful and honest, and not just try to palm you off with any dog, they want a lifelong home for these dogs so are extremely careful and picky about new owners. If they tell you they have the perfect dog for you, then they will have!

If you're thinking about a whippet, be aware that you won't be able to let it off lead in many situations, because, like all sight-hounds, it will just chase anything it catches sight of.  If you don't mind having a dog you can rarely let off lead, this is no problem - but if you want a dog you can take off-lead walks with, then a whippet might not be for you.

sorry onetwothree but that's a load of old codswallop!! I am on my 3rd whippet and none of them have needed to be walked on a lead, obviously on roads they need to be on but mine have followed me everywhere. Whippets make excellent pets for children and are generally not nervous they just "like who they know". My first whippet lived with a rabbit who had the run of the garden and my present one lives with a cat!!

Yes, but living with a rabbit and a cat in your own back yard is not the same thing as being off lead on a common, spying a rabbit which runs, and then chasing it.

I know of 3 whippets who have died in this way - taking off after fleeing animals, running right into major roads.  2 of them were owned by the same woman - obviously she didn't learn, and let her 2nd whippet off the lead too.  Incidentally, all 3 of these whippets had good recalls most of the time.

Obviously a Whippet or any other dog HAS to be on the lead while walking near some big and busy roads. But other than that I think they' are great family pets and my friend has one that is always off lead out in the fields. He does run around obviously but always comes back when called........ I'd go for a Whippet ;) .

Onetwothree,

As with all dogs you must use common sense and obviously know your own dog and it's limits. Mine will chase rabbits and catch them but as long as there is no busy roads nearby you don't have to worry. Sighthounds make brilliant pets, shed very little,and are extremely clean. If you have a whippet from a young age it's up to you to put the training in so that it can be trusted.
The only downside to them is trying to keep them off the furniture and beds as they love to be with you and can't stand the cold!!!
Like Ory said, go for a whippet you won't be disappointed.

My last dog was rescue and was 4 years old when I got him and he was fantastic with family and friends. He was a cross breed and he had some behavioural problems with strangers, but loved anyone when he got to know them. Don't discount getting a rescue dog, they need a home too.

well, this has been very interesting and helpful, thanks everyone.

I do feel very drawn to whippets - despite the need to always have them on a lead in most situations - which isnt really  ideal, is it. I went to battersea dog's home on the weekend, and they are coming to do a home check, and we will see what  we might find there. I know they have plenty of greyhounds, and I saw a beautiful lurcher there, but I doubt they have many whippets, I dont know.

Sometimes you get whippet x collie.... I suppose the same thing applies about the  always on lead  thing - because the chasing instinct is so strong.

Hi Kitty22,

I really wouldn't be worried about the lead issue if you are having a puppy. If you are are rehoming a rescue dog then I would be more carefull, having said that I rescued a young lurcher ( Greyhound x saluki 12 months ish) a month ago from a PTS situation knowing absolutely nothing about her apart from she was a gypsie dog and she was wonderful, I let her off within a week of having her and she never attempted to leg it! With more training she would have been a delight. She went to her new home 2 weeks ago and the her new family are over the moon with her.
Please don't let it put you off they really are faithfull dogs who usually stick to you like glue.
Good Luck