I have had four greyhounds (all retired racers) over the past ten years, but I still found this video very helpful. I currently have two girl greyhounds, Gracie and Ladybug. Ladybug looks exactly like Magnus! She is the sweetest, most affectionate dog, she even sleeps in my bed, but she has a very high prey drive and often barks and lunges at other dogs. She has been ok with a few dogs, but they are in the minority. I have tried offering treats when we see another dog, which sometimes works, and also a spray bottle (suggested by one trainer) filled with water. The idea with the latter is to distract her when she goes into the stare before the barking and lunging start. She is obsessed with a blue heron who lives by a pond nearby, and has even jumped into the water and swum after it. I typically try to avoid other dogs we encounter on leash walks, or I call out a warning that they are not friendly. Sometimes, paradoxically, if I do this, she winds up being fine and greeting the other dog nicely or at least walking by. The other day we encountered a female doberman on a choke chain and I called out my warning, with the owner answering that the doberman was the same. Ladybug wound up walking by nicely with a little whimper! She has never hurt any of the dogs she has barked and lunged at, but it is embarrassing! Thank for your video, I will try holding on to her martingale next time. I usually walk the two dogs by myself but it really helps when one of my sons also comes along!
Our two greys lived with our two cats for many years, and it was a reciprocal love fest. One day during a walk (leashed of course) the greys were sniffing around a bush very intently. Two squirrels darted out. One squirrel took off to the right, but one hesitated in front of the dogs for an instant. That’s all it took for both dogs to strike simultaneously as cobras would. The squirrel died instantly. To this day we don’t know which dog got to it first. It was a reminder that our lazy, cat-loving, goofy dogs are in reality beautifully evolved and carefully selected for killing machines. Loved them.
@@magnusgreyhound I too have owned a cat and a greyhound. The greyhound came to us straight from the track and when he saw the cat he thought he was in the room with the hare! It took 3 weeks but he lived happily with the cat thereafter. I believe that, given time and patience, a greyhound can be trained to live with a cat, provided that dog has not already had one!
me and the wife was in skegness having some fish and chips..and was surrounded with starlings so i was feeding them.i put my left overs tray down for our grey and talked to the wife,i turned around and found our grey with a starling in her mouth..so quick and silent..
Very well narrted..😉👍....my Boy seemed so quiet when i got him last Year...they called him Sleeping Pill at the Rescue 🤷🏼♂️, but i think it was just insecurity, he had to adjust facing this new world alone etc...after 5 Month suddenly he changed...Cats would be his favorite Prey, 😳but the Rabbits in the Pastures are his special Treat, sometimes he even stares at Ponys in a far Distance...being bred for coursing and only for trial at at racetrack, he is not as highly reactive😉.....you have 1 second to get a better grip and he still behaves well...but i would never ever let him of leech, despite his 40kg he would be very fast out of sight......🤗🤗🤗🤗
I have owned and fostered many greyhounds. If a cat owner wanted to adopt a grey I would select a dog/bitch which for, whatever reason, I thought might be cat friendly and would take him to see Rupert. Rupert was a cat owned by a friend who had a greyhound and she would let me take the new dog to meet him. Rupert was very experienced and immediately knew the score! If the dog was very interested, barked a lot and sometimes lunged, Rupert advanced hissing and more often than not the dog backed down. If the dog stood still and stared intently at him Rupert hid below the sofa! The dangerous greyhound is the one that does nothing!
I adopted two greyhounds a few days ago. My cat is in isolation at the moment but has met the female, who's lived with cats, once, for only a minute. I'm letting the cat get used to the sounds and idea that dogs are in the house. The male has never met cats but shows no interest in the ones we pass on our walks, so tomorrow we'll have a brief muzzled introduction. Next step is to keep the male in his kennel while having the female, muzzled and on her leash, by my side, and allow the cat free range of the house for a few hours at a time. I've taken a week off of work to start these introductions. Oh, my...I'm writing a book here! I'm just excited about my lovely new dogs, Bunny and Judge. Thank you so much for the videos. I've watched every single one. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is good for new adopters to see this. I could not really do a cat introduction in my video, so it is nice for you to mention it here. Glad you like the videos.
Very well said!! I have a sighthound mix and she has a very high prey drive. She is that classic sighthound who LOVES it when leaves are skittering about. We have worked very hard with her on managing and minimizing her responses while knowing they will always be there. Wouldn't trade her for the world though
I was waiiiiiting for this video! The prey drive is sooo important when it comes to greyhound because they are sighthounds. I think offen it isn't mentioned enough when people think about getting a grey. Because I think not beeing able to letting the dog off leash is a big deal. I have had 4 greyhounds and every grey had prey drive. I wasn't able to go off leash with one of them because it is just too dangerous. But if you know about it it isn't a problem at all. But for me it is also important to mention that you have to give them the possibility to run in a safe area as you said as well. If you don't have a big Yard or like me don't have any dog parks near it is impossible to have a greyhound in my opinion. One of my greys actually jumped off the balkony because He saw a cat!! He fell 2m! Thankfully nothing happened with him but I think this is often underestimated. My greys actually caught a cat in our garden as well. Pretty terrifying, thakfully she survived. You have really great content. Also really good that you showed the footage as an example. the reetings from germany. 🥰
I agree too! There is not enough information about prey drive with greyhounds. When I adopted my big greyhound 2 years ago, the people at the shelter didn't inform me about his very high prey drive. My dog wasn't bred for race track. I adopted him when he was 16 months old. At home he is a kind loving dog, but he also attacked a cat in the garden. When I go walking he always wears his muzzle, a collar leash and a harnas because when he goes in prey drive mode he is so strong. When I have to cross another dog(s), he turns into a devil for a few seconds. I have to use both hands to hold him in control but immediatly calms down after they passed. (exceptions are the dogs that he knows from the dog release zone)) I love my dog and accepted this problem. He loves to run and play with other dogs at a 2 acres fenced zone for dogs nearby. Once in a while it goes wrong but I learned the warning signs so I can anticipate. I am so glad I can give him a home. I want to understand how my dog interacts with other dogs but I realize not many people would have been able too. He has all the good qualities of a greyhound that means he loves people a lot, he's beautiful, has a big hart, he's smart, he's fun. Thanks for your upload! Greetings from Belgium.
Hi, I just wanted to say that your videos helped me so much with preparing to adopt our greyhound Sidney :) we already have a whippet but ex racing greyhounds have a lot of different quirks. Thanks so much!
god bless you and your greyhound. thanks for doing a massive service for the breed. Probably the most greatest and misunderstood breed there is. My uncle trained at hove for decades and him and other family members always told me how lovely they were. I got the chance to go to a trainers kennel and saw a large number of them and was blown away by the friendliness and placidness of them. I'm an english bulldog man, i have 3 bitches but i can definitely see myself in the future owning a retired greyhound :) i've seen your stuff before but i love the sharing of your knowledge in this one. I've subscribed and god bless you both again my friend.
Thanks for watching and for your kind words. Magnus ran a few races at Hove amongst other places. Just trying to do my bit to promote the Greyhound breed as pets. When we were thinking of adopting. I tried to watch as many videos about greyhounds as I could. There was not many that went beyond the the first day home. So I thought I would fill in the blanks to help other new adopters. I try to make a mix of fun/chill stuff with dogs and show their personality. I also try to make some educational ones. It's nice to hear you found the content worthwhile.
Such a helpful video, especially for new owners! We had read up on prey drive before adopting our boy Isaac (in the winter, just like you) and when the weather warmed up, the neighborhood cats descended and we quickly discovered the reality of it. He goes utterly hysterical when he sees a cat or a squirrel, and we are still using the muzzle, double-ended lead, martingale and harness 6 months on. Hopefully as his trust and training increases, we'll get it under control.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your experience with prey drive. I thought it was a good idea to explain a little more about it to new adopters. I learnt a lot doing research for the video.
How can you control nature ,and yes i have greyhounds ,some can be rehomed with cats ,and some cant ,we have a bitch here in NZ has gone to be rehomed with a warning ,no cats rabbits ect,her prey drive is too strong.
Thanks for posting this video! One of my boys chased a squirrel and caught it then looked at me as if to say "what now?" He's much less interested now but when he sees something good, he flies. The extra strap on his leash (for my other hand) helps keep him close. Thanks again! I always look forward to seeing Magnus!
Excellent vid. Very even-handed in your assessment. As you say, all dogs have this and any dog that is big, fast and powerful means you need to take care. With any dog that has had little socialisation you need to take care. Of course, all greyhounds are relatively big and fast, have had little socialisation (before being rescued) and have been trained to chase as well. They are fantastic pets and wonderful creatures, but yes, a little care and training is needed to mitigate any prey drive issues. I wish all dog owners of all breeds were as thoughtful about these issues!
Thanks so much for your videos. We have just adopted a 3 year girl and your videos have been really helpful. Actually they helped reassure me that I was doing the right thing choosing a retired greyhound. GAP NZ have said Peggy is cat trainable so in time we will be working on this, it was great to see what prey drive can look like.
Thank you so much for this. We have had our beautiful big greyhound for a year now, he has a very strong chase drive. I have learned just to calmly lead him away and to just generally be on the lookout for any situations. Eeyore is a fantastic dog though and the biggest softie you can imagine at home!
Excellent video. My wife and i have had our 4 YO Sally for 10 months now and the prey drive is still very strong in her, particularly with any dog that is running and ofcourse cats, birds etc. A good point about it not being aggression, its a different thing. Thanks for some more insight into the subject.
We had a lurcher until she died recently at 14. Very placid and obedient She never showed particular interest in cats... Until the one time she did. Just happened in a flash in a neighbour's back garden. The dog spotted the cat coming into the garden, just flipped, rushed and grabbed it. Luckily both animals came out of it only a bit shaken and scratched but reminded me that instinct is ALWAYS there.
Love your videos! This has been so helpful as I'm looking into adopting s greyhound and was worried about managing their prey drive so thanks for sharing :)
My ex-racer Greyhound isn't interested in the least and had her for almost 5 years now. One of her best friends is a tiny Maltese named Peaches who from a distance looks like a white feather blowing in the wind 🤗. My girl is so gentle with her ❤.
By being consistent and sticking to routines (greyhounds love routines) I can set my clock by them, you can help control prey drive. As you said, you can add a greyhound to a pack of pets you have fairly easily but if a neighbors cat jumps into your yard then, in my experience (heaven help it) but great you're doing vids on greyhounds, I consider them the King of sighthounds and the most magnificent dog breed on earth.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your experience with Greyhounds. I have been making videos trying to give more insight to the breed to new adopters. I have made videos of the fun, cute stuff and of the challenges we have faced. Want to give a better picture of what they can expect when they adopt. I am always sad when I hear a dog has been returned to the adoption center for an issue that could have been avoided or worked on. Thanks for sharing your experience it is welcome.
Using a harness rather than a collar makes it so much easier to control them and redirect them when they are focused on another animal. Also if you have adopted your grey from a rescue, make sure to double check your agreement with them as most have a clause stating that your hound must ALWAYS be muzzled even after a few weeks. I fully agree personally that this usually is not needed after a while but just wanted to mention it so no one accidentally gets into any issues.
Our latest boy, Teddy, is fine with our cat, as long as she doesn’t scurry away. We keep a close eye on him when they’re in the same room and praise him profusely when he stays still, which is most of the time. They both sleep peacefully in our cat on our bed, and Teddy on his. Cats outside are a different story, and he views them with avid interest. Outdoors, he will often see wild rabbits, and although he definitely notices them, he’s easily redirected away from them. He often sees squirrels, but doesn’t show that much interest in them.
I would also say be very careful of a Martingale, Greys can very easily twist 180 degrees and pull backwards and they are off and running with no road awareness. Would recommend a chest harness as well or instead of.
Very good advice,everything you’ve covered is accurate,there’s another thing worth mentioning if you have more than one greyhound though and that’s when encountering “prey” and that’s jealousy.Because racing greyhounds have been in a very competitive environment they can be jealous,especially around food and prey,if you have two or more greyhounds walking on leads and they see some prey it’s not uncommon for one to bite the other,this is instinctive more than aggression but can have the same outcome,an injured dog or handler,my advice when encountering prey when walking a pair of greyhounds is to hold one in each hand and keep them parted,just have the mindset that one of them might try nipping,behaviour like this is rare but can certainly happen.
All six of the greys in my life have had strong prey drive. My current roommate, Mabel, is seven and still "is attentive" to squirrels and particularly, cats. I Like your technique of holding the dog by the collar and walking away from the center of attention and will try the technique.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. As I mentioned in the video, Magnus goes rigid when he sees a cat and the collar hold works well for him. You just need to be sure his collar is the appropriate tightness so you do not accidentally pull the collar off.
My greyhound is so good with not pulling his leash that he still doesn't do it when he sees a group of running hares. after 2 years I'm still amazed by it. He just takes the room he has to do this ridiculously elegant and beautiful trot, lifting his feet, head, tail and ears high. Luckily he barely responds to anything other than hares and can be distracted with focus exercises pretty well.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. Just trying to give a rounded picture of Greyhounds as pets so new adopters can be better informed.
One valuable tip for new Greyhound owners is always keep yourself between the dog and the driveway of a house. Cats often sit behind fences and entrances of driveways and you won't see the cat but as the dog passes the opening it can in lightning fashion be onto the cat before you've even sighted it. If you keep yourself between the dog and those spaces you can avoid that situation.
@@jimothyj2638 because it's always the Greyhound who ends up in hot water if they kill pet cats. You're not protecting the cat, you're protecting the dog from potentially being put of death row by councils for being labelled a dangerous dog. Get it?
Greyhounds brains are like steel traps. If they see a cat at a certain house or something up a certain tree they will always remember that moment, even if you don't. And just because a Greyhound lives with a cat doesn't mean strange cats won't set it off. Barking is also a sign they are seeing something they want to get to.
Thank you for this video. We are 7 months into adopting our Greyhound Kingsley. We are able to manage his very strong prey drive whilst out walking in public areas with the tips you advise, and thus far always walk him wearing a muzzle just in case. We are lucky as we have a private area where he can run safely off a lead but we still muzzle him in case a cat or wild animal was to come along. Our problem is that my mum has a pug, which Kingsley has continued to see as prey. We have tried to get them used to each other by going on lots of walks, muzzle and leads on obviously, but Kingsley will usually make some attempt to lunge or snap at the pug at some point, its odd though as it isn't all the time, its as though he's fine and then the urge just gets the better of him. We have been very careful to make sure nothing happens and if he does something unsociable I just firmly say no, and as you say take him some distance ahead and try and keep his attention, and then reward him if he has stopped a negative interest in the pug. If we go to my mums house Kingsley is in his cage in a separate room (a massive cage) just to keep everyone safe. However, the situation hasn't improved and I fear it never will. Do you have any tips or suggestions for this situation specifically?
Magnus had a dog walker when we first got him for the days he wasn't in day care. He would go on group walks. He wore the muzzle in these walks for the first few months until he was comfortable with the other breeds. It can take a while. We found the extra exposure and leave it training helped. Thanks for watching.
our girl acted similar to some young excited males that she didnt know. there is specifically a male french bulldog that tries to jump up at her where she goes crazy so we try to stay away now. she had never bitten anyone but she can snap in their direction and im afraid shes gonna bite for real at some point. muzzles are taboo where I am wrong but I am considering getting it when I am anyplace where there can be new socializations as I have tended to stay away from smaller dogs lately and I can feel she wants to socialize more
We have a 4 year old rescue and as she has the tattoos in her ears (and a couple of small battle scars) we are pretty sure she's been raced. Her prey drive for anything small and fluffy is very strong and she'll yelp, scream and bark at the sight of any cat or squirrel. She also leaps high in to the air if she sees a squirrel in a tree. The leave command has little or no effect but we keep trying.
We practiced the leave it training with food in the house first. Once Magnus was good with it we then practiced outside. He is a lot better with creatures now. Hope things get easier for you.
Great video! When I was confronted with prey drive, I initially said very firm "no", but later I realized that her adrenaline is already high and it would be better to be as calm as possible. I now also take her quietly by her collar and lead her away, saying with a low 'honeysweet' voice: "these are friends, no need to chase them" :-)
My greyhound only reacts to cats and foxes. But hes also scared of them so doesnt want to get to close. He jumped yesterday because a squirrel scared him 😂
I bought a lurcher greyhound X Wheaton terrier. She is just a pet but at 12 months old I have to be really careful where I let her stretch her legs as she will literally try and kill anything from a deer to a butterfly. Tried training with treats but once she zones in on something there is no snapping out of it.
I have a polish greyhound puppy (he is 5 months old) he was freezing whenever he sees a bird. I thought he is making this because he is a puppy, but obviously, it is not :D . Thank you very much for the information.
My rescue greyhound who is very big and strong chased a sheepdog and jumped on its back biting. It was horrible. He is a good dog with people but wont tolerate other dogs. I have tried many things. Sonny is never loose after that experience. We have had him over a year now. I would say he lustens to me now when I say no but if he wants to go its difficult to hold him.
Greyhounds were originally hunting dogs, people used their speed to bring down rabbits and other animals. Cats have a very strong prey drive as well. Can you keep a cat and a pet rat? Same issue.
I have had a hard time realizing just how strong the prey drive in my Nelly is. She is a rescue stray, therefore I didn‘t know what breed I was getting and I don‘t know for sure, but I am 99% sure, that she has grey hound/whippet in her, because of her looks and the prey drive. I have been looking all over for good tips on how to train with it and maybe be able to steer her drive toward something less harmful, like digging for mice (which is the only thing she loves quite as much as chasing rabbits and deer). I am slowely realizing, that I just need to keep her on a long leash at all times, or only off in secured areas. I actually have a hard time with her in dog parks aswell, since she also seems to have a prey drive toward dogs, that fearfully run away from her. She will run after and bite in the tail/back. She hasn‘t injured a dog yet, but it can be really difficult.
It can be challenging to manage this at times. Magnus does really well now, but it was tough at first as he is so strong. The leave training helped us alot.
my dog is similar in dog parks, she gets overly excited in crowds and when smaller dogs dont wanna be chased she doesnt know how to stop so we have to grab her. I dont know how to handle it.
I adopted my greyhound six months ago and my main problem with him is when we are in a park and he gets too excited and wants me to let him go and sometimes I just can't because there's a lot of people or dogs around. When I don't let him go he starts to get aggressive with me and jumps and bites. He doesn't hurt me much but he does get very intense. I am going to try a muzzle but I wanted to know if you guys have had anything like this happen to you. Thank you for you great video.
It does sound like he is getting over excited. Magnus would get over excited some mornings when he knew we were going on a day trip somewhere and jump around like crazy. Got headbutted a few times. Does your pup get a chance to run anywhere. We would take Magnus every couple of weeks somewhere he could run. That was enough for him. The muzzle does seem to be the way to go when you go to the park if he is biting.
I’m getting a greyhound soon and i had a whippet/lab mix before hand that had a high prey drive that I wasn’t able to get under control completely. So I was wondering if there’s any tips on how to work on prey drive with greyhounds
Our 2 year old whippet still has a very strong prey drive. Cats/squirrels/birds/rabbits/anything small are the enemy. She hasn’t caught anything so far… I think with hounds you have to realise you can just have them off all the time. If you want that get a different breed.
The park in the earlier videos is Lomond Park in Trinity. You need a key for entry. I believe there is now a waiting list for membership due to demand.
I use an old jif lemon juice container filled with water a quick squirt on the hound usually snaps her out of her near trance state her snout is scarred from constant wearing of a muzzle so I carry one with me whilst walking her as opposed to her wearing it
Our boy Drake will follow squirrels until they disappear up a tree. He doen't seem to understand the squirrel climbed the tree to get away. Sometimes it can be quite funny to watch him with this predicament. Thanks for the look.
Did Magnus ever try to attack or show any kind of aggression towards you while you are trying to deviate their attention? By the way, Love these videos.
No he has not shown any aggression whilst deviating his attention. Only time he has growled was some resource guarding in the early days. The leave it training helped with both resource guarding and prey drive.
When their prey drive kicks in they will ignore you and any instructions.They won't bite, but you won't be able to break their attention from what they have laser eye locked into.
@@jpah8944 My female greyhound stops and locks her eyes on every cat we pass. Her body stiffens, and her ears go up. Classic prey posture. I grab her martingale collar, nudge her in the side with my knee, not hard, while saying her name. She snaps right out of it, and I'm not being harsh or loud. Training.
Our girl has a strong prey drive that shows itself often with smaller dogs, so if we are in a dog park and she sees a smaller one, she is likely to run them down and poke at their back/neck, she never bites, but you can tell it can be overwhelming for the smaller dog, so we usually have to take her on lead if smaller dogs come. So far our attempts to train hasnt done much and I am thinking if maybe we should sterilize her to calm her.
I have a saluki greyhound cross and he goes mad at cats and would pull us across towards it. If I grabbed his collar he snaps. He's not a rescue but from pup. Any advise?
Trying to undo thousands of years of breeding is pretty much impossible. Best thing to do is put him on a lead if you see something that looks like it could cause an issue. I’ve bred racing/hunting dogs for over 30 years.
Ths is the Most Honest Heart felt explanation . Understand the Breed of Dog you think you need. I am a Vizsla lover . I donate to Creyhound Rescue . Thank you for explaing Truly the Creyhound Breed. Every Breed has an inner Instinct. you've given me a knowledge , insight to this Breed I can Share. Vizsla's have been in my bed & life for geez.. about 40 years now.
I have had four greyhounds (all retired racers) over the past ten years, but I still found this video very helpful. I currently have two girl greyhounds, Gracie and Ladybug. Ladybug looks exactly like Magnus! She is the sweetest, most affectionate dog, she even sleeps in my bed, but she has a very high prey drive and often barks and lunges at other dogs. She has been ok with a few dogs, but they are in the minority. I have tried offering treats when we see another dog, which sometimes works, and also a spray bottle (suggested by one trainer) filled with water. The idea with the latter is to distract her when she goes into the stare before the barking and lunging start. She is obsessed with a blue heron who lives by a pond nearby, and has even jumped into the water and swum after it. I typically try to avoid other dogs we encounter on leash walks, or I call out a warning that they are not friendly. Sometimes, paradoxically, if I do this, she winds up being fine and greeting the other dog nicely or at least walking by. The other day we encountered a female doberman on a choke chain and I called out my warning, with the owner answering that the doberman was the same. Ladybug wound up walking by nicely with a little whimper! She has never hurt any of the dogs she has barked and lunged at, but it is embarrassing! Thank for your video, I will try holding on to her martingale next time. I usually walk the two dogs by myself but it really helps when one of my sons also comes along!
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience with Prey drive. It is good for new adopters to hear these things so they can be better prepared.
Our two greys lived with our two cats for many years, and it was a reciprocal love fest. One day during a walk (leashed of course) the greys were sniffing around a bush very intently. Two squirrels darted out. One squirrel took off to the right, but one hesitated in front of the dogs for an instant. That’s all it took for both dogs to strike simultaneously as cobras would. The squirrel died instantly. To this day we don’t know which dog got to it first. It was a reminder that our lazy, cat-loving, goofy dogs are in reality beautifully evolved and carefully selected for killing machines. Loved them.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience
@@magnusgreyhound I too have owned a cat and a greyhound. The greyhound came to us straight from the track and when he saw the cat he thought he was in the room with the hare! It took 3 weeks but he lived happily with the cat thereafter. I believe that, given time and patience, a greyhound can be trained to live with a cat, provided that dog has not already had one!
me and the wife was in skegness having some fish and chips..and was surrounded with starlings so i was feeding them.i put my left overs tray down for our grey and talked to the wife,i turned around and found our grey with a starling in her mouth..so quick and silent..
Very well narrted..😉👍....my Boy seemed so quiet when i got him last Year...they called him Sleeping Pill at the Rescue 🤷🏼♂️, but i think it was just insecurity, he had to adjust facing this new world alone etc...after 5 Month suddenly he changed...Cats would be his favorite Prey, 😳but the Rabbits in the Pastures are his special Treat, sometimes he even stares at Ponys in a far Distance...being bred for coursing and only for trial at at racetrack, he is not as highly reactive😉.....you have 1 second to get a better grip and he still behaves well...but i would never ever let him of leech, despite his 40kg he would be very fast out of sight......🤗🤗🤗🤗
Thanks for watching and sharing your story
I have owned and fostered many greyhounds. If a cat owner wanted to adopt a grey I would select a dog/bitch which for, whatever reason, I thought might be cat friendly and would take him to see Rupert. Rupert was a cat owned by a friend who had a greyhound and she would let me take the new dog to meet him. Rupert was very experienced and immediately knew the score! If the dog was very interested, barked a lot and sometimes lunged, Rupert advanced hissing and more often than not the dog backed down. If the dog stood still and stared intently at him Rupert hid below the sofa! The dangerous greyhound is the one that does nothing!
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience.
I adopted two greyhounds a few days ago. My cat is in isolation at the moment but has met the female, who's lived with cats, once, for only a minute. I'm letting the cat get used to the sounds and idea that dogs are in the house. The male has never met cats but shows no interest in the ones we pass on our walks, so tomorrow we'll have a brief muzzled introduction. Next step is to keep the male in his kennel while having the female, muzzled and on her leash, by my side, and allow the cat free range of the house for a few hours at a time. I've taken a week off of work to start these introductions. Oh, my...I'm writing a book here! I'm just excited about my lovely new dogs, Bunny and Judge. Thank you so much for the videos. I've watched every single one. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is good for new adopters to see this. I could not really do a cat introduction in my video, so it is nice for you to mention it here. Glad you like the videos.
Thank goodness i found these videos , they are brilliant , Magnus and Scout are beautiful
Glad you like the videos. Thanks for watching.
“Apart from some drooling and staring, there’s not been any problems “
Eh... we’ve all been guilty of that once in a while
That's great. Thanks for watching
Very well said!! I have a sighthound mix and she has a very high prey drive. She is that classic sighthound who LOVES it when leaves are skittering about. We have worked very hard with her on managing and minimizing her responses while knowing they will always be there. Wouldn't trade her for the world though
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience with prey drive.
Another wonderful video. Thank you so much!
Thanks for watching.
Great job! Thank you!
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment
Yes new Magnus & Scout video! Love you guys so much
Thanks for watching
Thanks for a clear honest narrative. We have just adopted our 2nd grey and love watching your videos
Glad you like the approach. Thanks again for watching.
I was waiiiiiting for this video! The prey drive is sooo important when it comes to greyhound because they are sighthounds. I think offen it isn't mentioned enough when people think about getting a grey. Because I think not beeing able to letting the dog off leash is a big deal. I have had 4 greyhounds and every grey had prey drive. I wasn't able to go off leash with one of them because it is just too dangerous. But if you know about it it isn't a problem at all. But for me it is also important to mention that you have to give them the possibility to run in a safe area as you said as well. If you don't have a big Yard or like me don't have any dog parks near it is impossible to have a greyhound in my opinion. One of my greys actually jumped off the balkony because He saw a cat!! He fell 2m! Thankfully nothing happened with him but I think this is often underestimated. My greys actually caught a cat in our garden as well. Pretty terrifying, thakfully she survived. You have really great content. Also really good that you showed the footage as an example. the reetings from germany. 🥰
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
Thats a shame the cat survived they're terrible for the environment and are actually the 2nd worse invasive species after mosquitos
I agree too! There is not enough information about prey drive with greyhounds. When I adopted my big greyhound 2 years ago, the people at the shelter didn't inform me about his very high prey drive. My dog wasn't bred for race track. I adopted him when he was 16 months old. At home he is a kind loving dog, but he also attacked a cat in the garden. When I go walking he always wears his muzzle, a collar leash and a harnas because when he goes in prey drive mode he is so strong. When I have to cross another dog(s), he turns into a devil for a few seconds. I have to use both hands to hold him in control but immediatly calms down after they passed. (exceptions are the dogs that he knows from the dog release zone))
I love my dog and accepted this problem. He loves to run and play with other dogs at a 2 acres fenced zone for dogs nearby. Once in a while it goes wrong but I learned the warning signs so I can anticipate. I am so glad I can give him a home. I want to understand how my dog interacts with other dogs but I realize not many people would have been able too. He has all the good qualities of a greyhound that means he loves people a lot, he's beautiful, has a big hart, he's smart, he's fun.
Thanks for your upload!
Greetings from Belgium.
Another really useful video - thanks for sharing your experiences with us.
Thanks for watching. Glad you like the video
Hi, I just wanted to say that your videos helped me so much with preparing to adopt our greyhound Sidney :) we already have a whippet but ex racing greyhounds have a lot of different quirks. Thanks so much!
Glad to hear that you found the videos useful. All the best with your adoption.
god bless you and your greyhound. thanks for doing a massive service for the breed. Probably the most greatest and misunderstood breed there is. My uncle trained at hove for decades and him and other family members always told me how lovely they were. I got the chance to go to a trainers kennel and saw a large number of them and was blown away by the friendliness and placidness of them. I'm an english bulldog man, i have 3 bitches but i can definitely see myself in the future owning a retired greyhound :) i've seen your stuff before but i love the sharing of your knowledge in this one. I've subscribed and god bless you both again my friend.
Thanks for watching and for your kind words. Magnus ran a few races at Hove amongst other places. Just trying to do my bit to promote the Greyhound breed as pets. When we were thinking of adopting. I tried to watch as many videos about greyhounds as I could. There was not many that went beyond the the first day home. So I thought I would fill in the blanks to help other new adopters. I try to make a mix of fun/chill stuff with dogs and show their personality. I also try to make some educational ones. It's nice to hear you found the content worthwhile.
Such a helpful video, especially for new owners! We had read up on prey drive before adopting our boy Isaac (in the winter, just like you) and when the weather warmed up, the neighborhood cats descended and we quickly discovered the reality of it. He goes utterly hysterical when he sees a cat or a squirrel, and we are still using the muzzle, double-ended lead, martingale and harness 6 months on. Hopefully as his trust and training increases, we'll get it under control.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your experience with prey drive. I thought it was a good idea to explain a little more about it to new adopters. I learnt a lot doing research for the video.
How can you control nature ,and yes i have greyhounds ,some can be rehomed with cats ,and some cant ,we have a bitch here in NZ has gone to be rehomed with a warning ,no cats rabbits ect,her prey drive is too strong.
Thanks again for a great video
Thanks for watching. Glad you like the video
Thanks for posting this video! One of my boys chased a squirrel and caught it then looked at me as if to say "what now?" He's much less interested now but when he sees something good, he flies. The extra strap on his leash (for my other hand) helps keep him close. Thanks again! I always look forward to seeing Magnus!
Thanks for watching. Glad you like the video.
Another great video, Deggs.
Thanks for watching. Glad you like the video.
Excellent vid. Very even-handed in your assessment. As you say, all dogs have this and any dog that is big, fast and powerful means you need to take care. With any dog that has had little socialisation you need to take care.
Of course, all greyhounds are relatively big and fast, have had little socialisation (before being rescued) and have been trained to chase as well.
They are fantastic pets and wonderful creatures, but yes, a little care and training is needed to mitigate any prey drive issues.
I wish all dog owners of all breeds were as thoughtful about these issues!
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
Lovely video. Thanks for the info. 😊
Thanks for watching
Thanks so much for your videos. We have just adopted a 3 year girl and your videos have been really helpful. Actually they helped reassure me that I was doing the right thing choosing a retired greyhound. GAP NZ have said Peggy is cat trainable so in time we will be working on this, it was great to see what prey drive can look like.
Thanks for watching. Glad you found the videos useful
Thank you so much for this. We have had our beautiful big greyhound for a year now, he has a very strong chase drive. I have learned just to calmly lead him away and to just generally be on the lookout for any situations. Eeyore is a fantastic dog though and the biggest softie you can imagine at home!
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience.
Eeyore! Best name!
My retired racer Cyber Queen had very high pray drive. She would shred a stuffed toy in five minutes. Miss her so much.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment
Excellent video. My wife and i have had our 4 YO Sally for 10 months now and the prey drive is still very strong in her, particularly with any dog that is running and ofcourse cats, birds etc.
A good point about it not being aggression, its a different thing. Thanks for some more insight into the subject.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. Glad you like the video. Just want to my bit to help new or potential adopters.
We had a lurcher until she died recently at 14. Very placid and obedient She never showed particular interest in cats... Until the one time she did. Just happened in a flash in a neighbour's back garden. The dog spotted the cat coming into the garden, just flipped, rushed and grabbed it. Luckily both animals came out of it only a bit shaken and scratched but reminded me that instinct is ALWAYS there.
Magnus always had a strong prey drive so we were always cautious. You forget how quick they can react.
Thank you sir.
Thanks for watching. Glad you like the video.
Love your videos! This has been so helpful as I'm looking into adopting s greyhound and was worried about managing their prey drive so thanks for sharing :)
Thanks for watching. Glad you found the video useful.
My ex-racer Greyhound isn't interested in the least and had her for almost 5 years now. One of her best friends is a tiny Maltese named Peaches who from a distance looks like a white feather blowing in the wind 🤗. My girl is so gentle with her ❤.
@@ellie.l6585 Omg that's such an adorable description of your greyhound's best friend 🥰
@@vegangieals7013 🤗❤🤗 xx
By being consistent and sticking to routines (greyhounds love routines) I can set my clock by them, you can help control prey drive. As you said, you can add a greyhound to a pack of pets you have fairly easily but if a neighbors cat jumps into your yard then, in my experience (heaven help it) but great you're doing vids on greyhounds, I consider them the King of sighthounds and the most magnificent dog breed on earth.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your experience with Greyhounds. I have been making videos trying to give more insight to the breed to new adopters. I have made videos of the fun, cute stuff and of the challenges we have faced. Want to give a better picture of what they can expect when they adopt. I am always sad when I hear a dog has been returned to the adoption center for an issue that could have been avoided or worked on. Thanks for sharing your experience it is welcome.
Using a harness rather than a collar makes it so much easier to control them and redirect them when they are focused on another animal. Also if you have adopted your grey from a rescue, make sure to double check your agreement with them as most have a clause stating that your hound must ALWAYS be muzzled even after a few weeks. I fully agree personally that this usually is not needed after a while but just wanted to mention it so no one accidentally gets into any issues.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this matter
Our latest boy, Teddy, is fine with our cat, as long as she doesn’t scurry away. We keep a close eye on him when they’re in the same room and praise him profusely when he stays still, which is most of the time. They both sleep peacefully in our cat on our bed, and Teddy on his. Cats outside are a different story, and he views them with avid interest. Outdoors, he will often see wild rabbits, and although he definitely notices them, he’s easily redirected away from them. He often sees squirrels, but doesn’t show that much interest in them.
Our two are definitely not cat safe
I would also say be very careful of a Martingale, Greys can very easily twist 180 degrees and pull backwards and they are off and running with no road awareness. Would recommend a chest harness as well or instead of.
Thanks for your comments.
Very good advice,everything you’ve covered is accurate,there’s another thing worth mentioning if you have more than one greyhound though and that’s when encountering “prey” and that’s jealousy.Because racing greyhounds have been in a very competitive environment they can be jealous,especially around food and prey,if you have two or more greyhounds walking on leads and they see some prey it’s not uncommon for one to bite the other,this is instinctive more than aggression but can have the same outcome,an injured dog or handler,my advice when encountering prey when walking a pair of greyhounds is to hold one in each hand and keep them parted,just have the mindset that one of them might try nipping,behaviour like this is rare but can certainly happen.
Thanks for sharing. Just trying to highlight the issue so no new owners get caught unaware.
This might explain why Magnus and Scout are fed one at a time behind a closed kitchen door.
It was at first. Now they eat happily side by side.
All six of the greys in my life have had strong prey drive. My current roommate, Mabel, is seven and still "is attentive" to squirrels and particularly, cats. I Like your technique of holding the dog by the collar and walking away from the center of attention and will try the technique.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. As I mentioned in the video, Magnus goes rigid when he sees a cat and the collar hold works well for him. You just need to be sure his collar is the appropriate tightness so you do not accidentally pull the collar off.
my greyhound bite me when i tried to pull him away when he in the prey drive and staring at our neighbour's cat.
My greyhound is so good with not pulling his leash that he still doesn't do it when he sees a group of running hares. after 2 years I'm still amazed by it. He just takes the room he has to do this ridiculously elegant and beautiful trot, lifting his feet, head, tail and ears high. Luckily he barely responds to anything other than hares and can be distracted with focus exercises pretty well.
Thanks for sharing your experience on this topic.
beautifully done Deggs. A great vlog for all new greyhound owners.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. Just trying to give a rounded picture of Greyhounds as pets so new adopters can be better informed.
One valuable tip for new Greyhound owners is always keep yourself between the dog and the driveway of a house. Cats often sit behind fences and entrances of driveways and you won't see the cat but as the dog passes the opening it can in lightning fashion be onto the cat before you've even sighted it. If you keep yourself between the dog and those spaces you can avoid that situation.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience
Why would I want to protect cats they're literally the 2nd worse invasive species on the planet. I care a lot about my native ecosystem
@@jimothyj2638 because it's always the Greyhound who ends up in hot water if they kill pet cats. You're not protecting the cat, you're protecting the dog from potentially being put of death row by councils for being labelled a dangerous dog. Get it?
Greyhounds brains are like steel traps. If they see a cat at a certain house or something up a certain tree they will always remember that moment, even if you don't. And just because a Greyhound lives with a cat doesn't mean strange cats won't set it off. Barking is also a sign they are seeing something they want to get to.
Thanks for taking the time to comment
Thank you for this video. We are 7 months into adopting our Greyhound Kingsley. We are able to manage his very strong prey drive whilst out walking in public areas with the tips you advise, and thus far always walk him wearing a muzzle just in case. We are lucky as we have a private area where he can run safely off a lead but we still muzzle him in case a cat or wild animal was to come along. Our problem is that my mum has a pug, which Kingsley has continued to see as prey. We have tried to get them used to each other by going on lots of walks, muzzle and leads on obviously, but Kingsley will usually make some attempt to lunge or snap at the pug at some point, its odd though as it isn't all the time, its as though he's fine and then the urge just gets the better of him. We have been very careful to make sure nothing happens and if he does something unsociable I just firmly say no, and as you say take him some distance ahead and try and keep his attention, and then reward him if he has stopped a negative interest in the pug. If we go to my mums house Kingsley is in his cage in a separate room (a massive cage) just to keep everyone safe. However, the situation hasn't improved and I fear it never will. Do you have any tips or suggestions for this situation specifically?
Magnus had a dog walker when we first got him for the days he wasn't in day care. He would go on group walks. He wore the muzzle in these walks for the first few months until he was comfortable with the other breeds. It can take a while. We found the extra exposure and leave it training helped. Thanks for watching.
our girl acted similar to some young excited males that she didnt know. there is specifically a male french bulldog that tries to jump up at her where she goes crazy so we try to stay away now. she had never bitten anyone but she can snap in their direction and im afraid shes gonna bite for real at some point. muzzles are taboo where I am wrong but I am considering getting it when I am anyplace where there can be new socializations as I have tended to stay away from smaller dogs lately and I can feel she wants to socialize more
Realu good video. Have a galgo that was only revarded when she cought the rabbit..She now ignores a cat on a window..Our 3 y.grey..not so easy
Thanks for sharing your experience
We have a 4 year old rescue and as she has the tattoos in her ears (and a couple of small battle scars) we are pretty sure she's been raced. Her prey drive for anything small and fluffy is very strong and she'll yelp, scream and bark at the sight of any cat or squirrel. She also leaps high in to the air if she sees a squirrel in a tree. The leave command has little or no effect but we keep trying.
We practiced the leave it training with food in the house first. Once Magnus was good with it we then practiced outside. He is a lot better with creatures now. Hope things get easier for you.
Great video!
When I was confronted with prey drive, I initially said very firm "no", but later I realized that her adrenaline is already high and it would be better to be as calm as possible. I now also take her quietly by her collar and lead her away, saying with a low 'honeysweet' voice: "these are friends, no need to chase them" :-)
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment on your experience
I agree. I do the same with our 8 year old Greyhound called Eeyore. Small furries are friends, not food! I think he just humours me 🙂
My greyhound only reacts to cats and foxes. But hes also scared of them so doesnt want to get to close. He jumped yesterday because a squirrel scared him 😂
Thanks for sharing your experience. It's good that people can see the variety of responses.
😍
Thanks for watching
I bought a lurcher greyhound X Wheaton terrier. She is just a pet but at 12 months old I have to be really careful where I let her stretch her legs as she will literally try and kill anything from a deer to a butterfly. Tried training with treats but once she zones in on something there is no snapping out of it.
It can be a slow process getting them to focus their attention elsewhere. Thanks for watching.
I have a polish greyhound puppy (he is 5 months old) he was freezing whenever he sees a bird. I thought he is making this because he is a puppy, but obviously, it is not :D . Thank you very much for the information.
Thanks for watching. Glad you found the video useful
Our whippet loves to hunt rats, we just found an outlet he loves and one we greatly appreciate
Thanks for watching
My parents have 3 amazing greyhounds they used to race but all get along and well behaved
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@@magnusgreyhound your videos are perfect examples of how good they are as pets love it
My rescue greyhound who is very big and strong chased a sheepdog and jumped on its back biting. It was horrible. He is a good dog with people but wont tolerate other dogs.
I have tried many things. Sonny is never loose after that experience. We have had him over a year now. I would say he lustens to me now when I say no but if he wants to go its difficult to hold him.
Thanks for sharing how challenging it can be. We took Magnus to dog training classes which helped give us skills to manage his strength better.
On CZcams 2 trainers I would use. Susan Garrett and (Tom ? )No Bad Dogs
Greyhounds were originally hunting dogs, people used their speed to bring down rabbits and other animals.
Cats have a very strong prey drive as well. Can you keep a cat and a pet rat? Same issue.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts
My cat had to move to the bedroom when we adopted Butterscotch. We tried to train her to tolerate the cat but she forgets an hour later,
Prey drive is definitely a challenge.
Magnus LOVES cats, like my indoor cat loves my birds.
I know what you mean. Thanks for watching.
I have had a hard time realizing just how strong the prey drive in my Nelly is. She is a rescue stray, therefore I didn‘t know what breed I was getting and I don‘t know for sure, but I am 99% sure, that she has grey hound/whippet in her, because of her looks and the prey drive. I have been looking all over for good tips on how to train with it and maybe be able to steer her drive toward something less harmful, like digging for mice (which is the only thing she loves quite as much as chasing rabbits and deer). I am slowely realizing, that I just need to keep her on a long leash at all times, or only off in secured areas.
I actually have a hard time with her in dog parks aswell, since she also seems to have a prey drive toward dogs, that fearfully run away from her. She will run after and bite in the tail/back. She hasn‘t injured a dog yet, but it can be really difficult.
It can be challenging to manage this at times. Magnus does really well now, but it was tough at first as he is so strong. The leave training helped us alot.
my dog is similar in dog parks, she gets overly excited in crowds and when smaller dogs dont wanna be chased she doesnt know how to stop so we have to grab her. I dont know how to handle it.
I adopted my greyhound six months ago and my main problem with him is when we are in a park and he gets too excited and wants me to let him go and sometimes I just can't because there's a lot of people or dogs around. When I don't let him go he starts to get aggressive with me and jumps and bites. He doesn't hurt me much but he does get very intense. I am going to try a muzzle but I wanted to know if you guys have had anything like this happen to you. Thank you for you great video.
It does sound like he is getting over excited. Magnus would get over excited some mornings when he knew we were going on a day trip somewhere and jump around like crazy. Got headbutted a few times. Does your pup get a chance to run anywhere. We would take Magnus every couple of weeks somewhere he could run. That was enough for him. The muzzle does seem to be the way to go when you go to the park if he is biting.
I’m getting a greyhound soon and i had a whippet/lab mix before hand that had a high prey drive that I wasn’t able to get under control completely. So I was wondering if there’s any tips on how to work on prey drive with greyhounds
Thanks for watching. We practiced a lot of leave it training with Magnus. This helped with the prey drive, but it is quite a slow process.
Please watch Susan Garrett or No Bad dogs. They have training methods that work very well.
Just wondered how long it took you to have them walking as calmly as the 2 in the video. It takes 2 of us as to hold our grey ss he is so strong.
It did not take too long. We just did the stop and start thing to stop them pulling.
Our 2 year old whippet still has a very strong prey drive. Cats/squirrels/birds/rabbits/anything small are the enemy. She hasn’t caught anything so far…
I think with hounds you have to realise you can just have them off all the time. If you want that get a different breed.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment
He's like my greyhound geno
Thanks for watching
where's that big enclosed space that you take him to? we're trying to find bigger areas for our hound in edinburgh :)
The park in the earlier videos is Lomond Park in Trinity. You need a key for entry. I believe there is now a waiting list for membership due to demand.
I use an old jif lemon juice container filled with water a quick squirt on the hound usually snaps her out of her near trance state her snout is scarred from constant wearing of a muzzle so I carry one with me whilst walking her as opposed to her wearing it
Thanks for sharing your technique.
Actually a healthy treat ( chicken heart) or squeaky toy would be a positive diversion
@@dreamlife2351 Once he spots cats or squirrels, Cheese or Bacon won't distract my boy. Same with squeaky toys.
Our boy Drake will follow squirrels until they disappear up a tree. He doen't seem to understand the squirrel climbed the tree to get away. Sometimes it can be quite funny to watch him with this predicament. Thanks for the look.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment
Did Magnus ever try to attack or show any kind of aggression towards you while you are trying to deviate their attention? By the way, Love these videos.
No he has not shown any aggression whilst deviating his attention. Only time he has growled was some resource guarding in the early days. The leave it training helped with both resource guarding and prey drive.
When their prey drive kicks in they will ignore you and any instructions.They won't bite, but you won't be able to break their attention from what they have laser eye locked into.
@@jpah8944 My female greyhound stops and locks her eyes on every cat we pass. Her body stiffens, and her ears go up. Classic prey posture. I grab her martingale collar, nudge her in the side with my knee, not hard, while saying her name. She snaps right out of it, and I'm not being harsh or loud. Training.
Prey drive is a very normal and healthy trait for any Sighthound
True, but it may needed to be managed as a pet.
@@magnusgreyhound absolutely agree !
Our girl has a strong prey drive that shows itself often with smaller dogs, so if we are in a dog park and she sees a smaller one, she is likely to run them down and poke at their back/neck, she never bites, but you can tell it can be overwhelming for the smaller dog, so we usually have to take her on lead if smaller dogs come. So far our attempts to train hasnt done much and I am thinking if maybe we should sterilize her to calm her.
Thanks for watching.
I have a saluki greyhound cross and he goes mad at cats and would pull us across towards it. If I grabbed his collar he snaps. He's not a rescue but from pup. Any advise?
All I can suggest is the leave it training. I have some off this training in my resource guarding video on CZcams. This helped with Magnus
Trying to undo thousands of years of breeding is pretty much impossible. Best thing to do is put him on a lead if you see something that looks like it could cause an issue.
I’ve bred racing/hunting dogs for over 30 years.
I would use a muzzle just to protect you and your beautiful dog
Don't kill cats,..bunnys are my Business 😉😇
Thanks for watching
I've just adopted a rescued galgo and so far so good-ish with cats, but I am steeling myself for the moment we cross paths with a rabbit...
Ths is the Most Honest Heart felt explanation . Understand the Breed of Dog you think you need. I am a Vizsla lover . I donate to Creyhound Rescue . Thank you for explaing Truly the Creyhound Breed. Every Breed has an inner Instinct. you've given me a knowledge , insight to this Breed I can Share. Vizsla's have been in my bed & life for geez.. about 40 years now.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. Glad you like the video.