Alyosha

I'm so sorry. Make sure you vent away in here if you need to! You must have a million things on your mind.

I was thinking about this and agree with you Greyt. But even more so, think the implication of timid/shy is offensive because it's a physical fault in so many Sighthound breeds. So it's equivalent to doing a study on health issues and coming in asking something similar to "Why do working breeds tend to have hip dysplasia?" It's insulting to insinuate broad sweeping generalisations about a group of dogs that, if correct, would constitute bad breeding. Corvus still hasn't answered my questions about what use will the results of this study be to anyone if the starting point information is widely considered completely incorrect?

My old 'Ghan was a quiet defender of property too, rarely did he bark - but it was a big one when he did. A local teenage girl thought she'd take a shortcut through our backyard one evening as she'd met him outside the yard and he was a fluffy goofball. He was off his bed and had her down with a foot on each shoulder before she knew what was what. Scary indeed. Didn't hurt her but pinned her. An inspection showed him he knew her and he let her up. But no way was she going anywhere otherwise. I wouldn't enter an Afghan's property without their owner, even if I thought I knew them. No more than I would enter a GSD or Rottie's.

If you could prise mine off your legs, shoulders or lap (if you're silly enough to sit down that is!) for long enough to try and find out, you might find them far less than timid or shy... Until they see something better to do that is!

Sounds positive! Fingers and toes all still crossed here!

The OP says they weren't able to get in touch with the bitch's breeder. Sounds v.messy and frustrating.

So the majority of survey results were about pet greyhounds, but we can't form the "massive assumption" that they are from racing backgrounds. Yet we can form the massive assumption that results gleaned from this group relate directly to all sighthound breeds. Gawd I can't spell...

And if nearly all the sighthound people on here answered with - they're not - then where to from there? Does the research continue stubbornly along those lines anyway in the face of such overwhelming doubt cast over the initial question?

I don't think it was a loaded question that offended, it was the fact that you seemed to be exploring and researching a generalisation about the breed group that the vast majority of owners/breeders etc found partially or even completely incorrect. So if the foundation information appears so far from reality, what sort of useful inferences are ever going to be drawn from it?

Entire females do mark - some constantly. One of mine has to cock her leg on every spot in the yard where the males have, and on power pole... And subsequently frequently pees on her trousers/feathering. So very similar to a male. Either gender if desexed will be less prone to this though.

It seems, in light of the initial question of "why do sighthounds tend to be timid/sensitive?" that the overwhelming response from sighthound owners here is - " they're not". So there can be no "why". Also, considering that a few, including some highly experienced, have encountered such behaviour from a proportion of ex-racing greyhounds, it seems that the initial question may have needed to be targeted at that breed group in particular. It may well be based on environmental issues if that is the case, and not a breed-wide, inborn trait. Either the information the initial question is based upon is not applicable to the sighthound breeds as a whole, or is being misinterpreted in such a way that it is mis-representing those breeds as a collective. If the base level information is so far removed from reality, how is it possible to use it to construct useful results?

Sounds good Zaddy. Sounds like GAP will be a good contact for you. I think it's good for anyone to find out as much as they can about something that interests them, especially when experience may have made them a little wary but the interest is still there.

Such a beautiful girl and so many treasured memories. So sorry for your loss Casowner.

Awesome pics!!!

Might be more effective to ask why greyhounds tend to be timid instead then. ;) If that's what the survey shows and is what you're basing the question on.

Oh crap zzz!! What a worry! I hope you find someone. I'd offer but am 3hrs south and will be working the next few weeks. Fingers crossed it works out - talk about 11th hour!!

I think it's go that Zaddy is still intrigued by Greyhounds and has accepted that previous bad experiences weren't necessarily indicative of the whole breed. Being honest about those bad experiences isn't bad-mouthing, it's just being open. I've had bad experiences with dogs of certain breeds too, as have most people. If I really liked that breed I wouldn't want a past bad experience to completely put me off. I might be cautious and ask for lots of advice on having one - which seems to be what is going on here...

The opposite of bold is not necessarily timid. Reserved might be a better description for sighthounds if that's what you're looking for. Not clear on what you're calling timid, I've always had sighthounds and any visitors we have or people we meet when we're out and about are pretty much mobbed. Bold for sighthounds is contextual as well. Many are bold on the hunt - because that's what they are tuned into. But may not be bold around people, as many sighthounds can take or leave people (other than their own ones that is!). And the fine bones and coat thing is a bit general. A good many sighthound breeds are long or rough coated, and care not for what they crash into if they are enjoying themselves... I'm trying not to be offended by the timid generalisation as it is so far from correct sighthound temperament, and seems an unnecessarily negative box to put them in.

Oh crap. Hugs to you all. Hang in there big guy!!

Sounds like a nicety you were told Weasels - unfortunately. I've seen animals very much conscious through dreadful suffering with 1080. Maxiewolf the DPI should control the use of the baiting program. In other states there is a legal minimum of 50m for any bait to be laid from a boundary. So if it is near people's fences they should be complaining to the DPI. 1080 is very heavily restricted and it's use is legislated at a Commonwealth as well as a State level to minimise non-target baiting and injury to domestic animals. Any and all concerns should be raised with DPI, as only through maximum public information will the standards be strictly adhered to, and any official reviews of the product be most effective.

We have the spirals on permanently, another here that found them easy once I got the first one on. We use spring clips for the door/opening panel.

"Ah! Ssss!!" @ Cartman...

Nope. Mine are big but people assume they're mine, even if we're walking together with them. Perhaps 'cause they're "pretty"?

Did you realise that if there is a significant fat layer under the skin you won't be able to "grab hold" of it as it will be quite firm? If the dog is normal weight you should be able to grab loose skin with a fine fat layer quite easily.

Oh Jumabaar I'm so sorry this has all happened. If breeding didn't break our hearts sometimes we wouldn't be doing it right. Could he have a head injury? I hope he pulls through ok and you find the strength to consider breeding again one day.