Greyhounds off leash?

I have no experience in owning a greyhound, but I do know a few greyhounds from our local off-leash parks.  Gracie, a retired racing greyhound goes daily to our unfenced dog park.  She is quite well-behaved- she lies in the grass at her owner's feet and has the occasional sprint around the park, only to return to her owner.  There is also a pair of retired racers that go to dog beach (no, they don't swim).  They do run and frolic, but I have never seen them take off or leave the proximity of their owner.
I just love them.  They are just stunning animals!

Ack! I can't believe I kept spelling Greyhound wrong! I work at a newspaper where we have it drilled into our heads that gray is the acceptable spelling for the color gray and it's a hard habit to break!

Jennifer-
 
I have to say that if you are not able to (or not comfortable with) having a dog that can NOT be off lead, then you really should to consider another breed.  Whether the greyhound is a retired racing grey or one that is a show dog….they can NEVER be trusted off lead because they are sighthounds and are prey driven. This goes for other sighthounds as well.  You will see many people take greys to the beach or other park areas that are not completely fenced and these people are taking a HUGE risk every time they do this.
 
I not only have owned greys for many years but also volunteer in rescue of these incredible creatures and I know WAY too many people who had there dogs off leash for years until ONE day…and they never saw their beloved dog again.  I have assisted with too many rescue efforts to “catch” a lost greyhound and it is really not worth the risk. I am also on another forum for greyhound owners and at least 1-2 times a week an “amber alert” goes out to have volunteers assist with finding a missing greyhound. It is heart wrenching and unfortunately many of these pups never turn up or turn up dead.  
 
Most rescues will not even consider accepting you if you do not agree to never let them of lead or if you do not have an appropriately fenced yard.
 
Having a small yard is not a problem…in fact many greys (like mine) do fantastic in a  condo. I know you want to run your grey, but is there any place else that you can think of that is fenced?  Like maybe a ball park or something?  
 
I hope this has answered your questions and your dog is just BEAUTIFUL by the way!  []

.they can NEVER be trusted off lead

I was afraid of that [] Unfortunately, of the 8 ball fields in town, only one is entirely fenced - and it has signs all over it saying "no dogs" because of a few jerks who can't clean up after their pets.

Timmy, the riding instructor's greyhound was awesome. Unfortunately he was killed when he was kicked by a horse. He never chased them, but the horses didn't appreciate him jumping up on them when he tried to play with them.

I hope this has answered your questions and your dog is just BEAUTIFUL by the way!

Thanks! We love our Lucy Lou! If a greyhound won't fit for us, we're looking at the Catahoula rescue to get another like her.

I was afraid of that Unfortunately, of the 8 ball fields in town, only one is entirely fenced - and it has signs all over it saying "no dogs" because of a few jerks who can't clean up after their pets.

Timmy, the riding instructor's greyhound was awesome. Unfortunately he was killed when he was kicked by a horse. He never chased them, but the horses didn't appreciate him jumping up on them when he tried to play with them.

 
Oh...poor greyhound...that is so sad![&o]
 
We have signs up all over our ball fields too, we just "brake the law" once in awhile![]
 
I think you can't go wrong with another Lucy...what a doll![]
 
 

I wouldnt trust them off leash, I think its too great a risk to take.

Remember the champion Whippet (I think) bitch that got loose in the airport. Isnt she still lost?

Remember the champion Whippet (I think) bitch that got loose in the airport. Isnt she still lost?

 
This broke my heart....[&o]  I had to stop following the story beacsue I was a wreck.

I have known people who are devoted to obedience work who have had greyhounds from Puppyhood on who can work off leash with their dogs in controlled situations, but for the average person-you have to remember what greyhounds were bred for-sight hounds who chase prey....The instinct to run and chase often overrides any training

I believe it was a champion Whippet, so very tragic and scarey! As far as I know, the poor thing still hasn't been recovered yet...I'm just hoping & praying that I missed the news announcement where everyone was rejoicing at her being found at last! [sm=angel.gif]

Sighthounds should NEVER be allowed off lead.  Even those with excellent 100% recall.  The most common reason for early death amongst sighthounds is: Automobiles.  All it takes is the wind to blow a leaf in a particularly fetching way, a squirrel being brave, a bird flying by, the sight of a deer, another dog, or anything that moves.  It's very hard to train thousands of years of instinct in a dog. 
 
Every story I've heard involving greys and cars starts off the same way:  "He's always been very good off lead until that one day I decided not to put his leash on him..."  And then the tears start. 
 
If you can find an enclosed area, or even an area where you can have the dog on a 100 foot long lead to let him run...it doesn't have to be every day...more like once or twice a week.  The common misunderstanding about sighthounds is that they need to run every day.  They don't, but they do need the opportunity to run a few times a week.  That opportunity is what it's all about.  Sometimes they'll run, sometimes they won't.  And when they run...lookout, it's the most beautiful sight in the world.

f you can find an enclosed area, or even an area where you can have the dog on a 100 foot long lead to let him run...

What kind of fence? One of my brother's fields is fully enclosed with a 4 foot fence of woven wire topped with a strand of barbed wire. That might work during the winter and spring before the corn gets too tall if greyhounds aren't jumpers. The 100 ft lead might work too. But I know Lucy seems to enjoy running much more when I let her off-lead, no matter how long it is.

Greyhounds, sadly, can never be trusted off leash.

We have an invisable fence by PetSafe.  It works on radio frequency.  The transmitter is portable, so we can take it to the park or on vacation with us.  Anywhere that it can be plugged in (it has a car adapter). 
 
I have a pointer (lots of greyhound blood in there).  It gives them room to run and they have gotten so trustworthy about the boundary that even without a fence collar, they stay within the transmitter circle. Of course, a greyhound may not be so easy to boundary train, but you don't have to worry about it jumping the fence.