WHY 'ALWAYS ON A LEASH'
It’s beautiful to watch a Greyhound run, so why does GreySave join most Greyhound adoption groups in having a “never off leash in an unenclosed area” policy? These groups have carefully thought through this policy and based it on experience with thousands and thousands of adopted Greyhounds. Here are some of the reasons behind it.
• Speed
A Greyhound can go from 0 to 45 m.p.h. in three steps. Furthermore, when traveling at that speed, his ears are flat back, his heart is racing, his mind is concentrating on the goal, and he simply cannot hear a frantic owner giving a command to stop. He is also going too fast for a car to avoid hitting him should he run across a street. A couple of years ago, a GreySave adopter wrote this about his experience.
I don’t usually let [my two beloved greyhound boys] off-leash outside of a fenced dog park or my backyard, but there’s this open field near my home, and it seemed safe enough for them. It’s far from busy streets, pretty flat, with good visibility, and no wildlife to chase. I thought that would be enough to keep the two of them in my sights. I was wrong.
I walked them to the field and unhooked their leashes to let them do their business. The boys stayed close and all seemed OK as we proceeded along a long dirt path. But then they decided to challenge each other to a race, and off they went. It all happened in an instant . . . they just kept going and going . . . In a matter of seconds they were out of my sight, heading towards who knows where.
See the rest of story at It Happens in an Instant: A Tale of Lost Dogs.
• Eyesight
A Greyhound can spot something the size of rabbit a half mile away. He is a sight hound, and that visual stimuli can cause his chase drive to kick in leaving the owner to wonder, “What in the world happened!”
• Training
On the track, a Greyhound is trained to ignore cheering crowds or any of hundreds of other noises surrounding them. When they are running, they are focused. Nothing changes that training when they come to their adoptive home. Here’s one example.
After Char’s racing career, she was trained and certified as a therapy dog by one of the toughest certifying agencies. She worked in hospitals and rest homes, and year-after-year she passed her recertification in basic and advanced obedience commands.
She was now almost 11 years old, and her owner felt confident enough to frequently let her off leash as they hiked around a lake near their home. Then, without warning, on one of those walks, she suddenly took off on a run. Neither her extensive obedience training nor her age could stop her. Over an hour later, her owners finally caught a tired and somewhat scratched up Char.
Questions about “Exceptions”
• What about off leash in the wilderness?
Both of the examples above happened in areas where the owners felt they were far enough away from traffic and other “urban” dangers. Wilderness areas also have their own dangers:
-- Snakes, coyotes, skunks
-- Sharp tree branches or rocks
-- Squirrels, rabbits, and other “lures”
In addition, a Greyhound lost in the wilderness is almost impossible to find. According to the Greyhound Amber Alert Forum, one third of Greys reported lost in 2005 were found dead or never found at all. The dog lost in a wilderness area has an even lower chance of surviving.
• What about off leash at a dog beach?
Whether a dog park or a dog beach, it is important that the entire area is fenced. Here’s another real life experience.
It was a beautiful dog beach with a fence around most of three sides with a rocky cliff-like area blocking the remaining land access. Rocky (name changed to protect the innocent) enjoyed running in the water for a while. Suddenly, the big world beckoned. In the blink of an eye, he swam past the fence and rocky area, and he was free…on a major California highway. Witnesses told of seeing numerous close calls as the Greyhound galloped past traffic. After four hours of frantic searching, the owner got a call from someone who had caught the dog--over a mile away! Fortunately he was alive.
See more on dog parks in general.
• What about off leash in my front or unfenced yard?
See the above reasons to not let a Greyhound off leash in an unenclosed area. The same principles apply to your yard.
My Perspective
For almost 17 years Greyhounds have been a major part of my life. I have been privileged to foster almost 100 of these remarkable beings and to adopt eight. Along with this privilege, I feel a deep moral responsibility.
1) It takes only one mistake, and I would never forgive myself if I killed one of my Greyhounds by trusting him or her off leash, especially since I’ve been warned.
2) I set an example. If I were to let my Greyhounds off leash, other Greyhound owners may see them, live or in photos, and may be more likely to try it with their dogs. In short, I may contribute to the injury or death of someone else’s Greyhound.
3) Both of the groups that I adopted from have “no off leash” policies, as do most Greyhound rescue groups around the nation. Point 6 on the GreySave application form says: “I agree to use a proper martingale-style collar on my greyhound, and to never let my greyhound off-leash in an unfenced area.”
In signing that application, all GreySave adopters make this promise. I signed the agreement, and I believe I should keep my word. That’s my perspective.
A Final Note
Your dog trusts you for its safety and well-being. Much like drinking and driving, you may get away with letting him or her off leash for a while, but is your dog’s life worth the risk?
If you love them, leash them.
Additional Reading: Preventing Runaways – links to other articles, statistics are in the Lost Greyhound section.
by Bonnie Jeffers, GreySave volunteer
• Speed
A Greyhound can go from 0 to 45 m.p.h. in three steps. Furthermore, when traveling at that speed, his ears are flat back, his heart is racing, his mind is concentrating on the goal, and he simply cannot hear a frantic owner giving a command to stop. He is also going too fast for a car to avoid hitting him should he run across a street. A couple of years ago, a GreySave adopter wrote this about his experience.
I don’t usually let [my two beloved greyhound boys] off-leash outside of a fenced dog park or my backyard, but there’s this open field near my home, and it seemed safe enough for them. It’s far from busy streets, pretty flat, with good visibility, and no wildlife to chase. I thought that would be enough to keep the two of them in my sights. I was wrong.
I walked them to the field and unhooked their leashes to let them do their business. The boys stayed close and all seemed OK as we proceeded along a long dirt path. But then they decided to challenge each other to a race, and off they went. It all happened in an instant . . . they just kept going and going . . . In a matter of seconds they were out of my sight, heading towards who knows where.
See the rest of story at It Happens in an Instant: A Tale of Lost Dogs.
• Eyesight
A Greyhound can spot something the size of rabbit a half mile away. He is a sight hound, and that visual stimuli can cause his chase drive to kick in leaving the owner to wonder, “What in the world happened!”
• Training
On the track, a Greyhound is trained to ignore cheering crowds or any of hundreds of other noises surrounding them. When they are running, they are focused. Nothing changes that training when they come to their adoptive home. Here’s one example.
After Char’s racing career, she was trained and certified as a therapy dog by one of the toughest certifying agencies. She worked in hospitals and rest homes, and year-after-year she passed her recertification in basic and advanced obedience commands.
She was now almost 11 years old, and her owner felt confident enough to frequently let her off leash as they hiked around a lake near their home. Then, without warning, on one of those walks, she suddenly took off on a run. Neither her extensive obedience training nor her age could stop her. Over an hour later, her owners finally caught a tired and somewhat scratched up Char.
Questions about “Exceptions”
• What about off leash in the wilderness?
Both of the examples above happened in areas where the owners felt they were far enough away from traffic and other “urban” dangers. Wilderness areas also have their own dangers:
-- Snakes, coyotes, skunks
-- Sharp tree branches or rocks
-- Squirrels, rabbits, and other “lures”
In addition, a Greyhound lost in the wilderness is almost impossible to find. According to the Greyhound Amber Alert Forum, one third of Greys reported lost in 2005 were found dead or never found at all. The dog lost in a wilderness area has an even lower chance of surviving.
• What about off leash at a dog beach?
Whether a dog park or a dog beach, it is important that the entire area is fenced. Here’s another real life experience.
It was a beautiful dog beach with a fence around most of three sides with a rocky cliff-like area blocking the remaining land access. Rocky (name changed to protect the innocent) enjoyed running in the water for a while. Suddenly, the big world beckoned. In the blink of an eye, he swam past the fence and rocky area, and he was free…on a major California highway. Witnesses told of seeing numerous close calls as the Greyhound galloped past traffic. After four hours of frantic searching, the owner got a call from someone who had caught the dog--over a mile away! Fortunately he was alive.
See more on dog parks in general.
• What about off leash in my front or unfenced yard?
See the above reasons to not let a Greyhound off leash in an unenclosed area. The same principles apply to your yard.
My Perspective
For almost 17 years Greyhounds have been a major part of my life. I have been privileged to foster almost 100 of these remarkable beings and to adopt eight. Along with this privilege, I feel a deep moral responsibility.
1) It takes only one mistake, and I would never forgive myself if I killed one of my Greyhounds by trusting him or her off leash, especially since I’ve been warned.
2) I set an example. If I were to let my Greyhounds off leash, other Greyhound owners may see them, live or in photos, and may be more likely to try it with their dogs. In short, I may contribute to the injury or death of someone else’s Greyhound.
3) Both of the groups that I adopted from have “no off leash” policies, as do most Greyhound rescue groups around the nation. Point 6 on the GreySave application form says: “I agree to use a proper martingale-style collar on my greyhound, and to never let my greyhound off-leash in an unfenced area.”
In signing that application, all GreySave adopters make this promise. I signed the agreement, and I believe I should keep my word. That’s my perspective.
A Final Note
Your dog trusts you for its safety and well-being. Much like drinking and driving, you may get away with letting him or her off leash for a while, but is your dog’s life worth the risk?
If you love them, leash them.
Additional Reading: Preventing Runaways – links to other articles, statistics are in the Lost Greyhound section.
by Bonnie Jeffers, GreySave volunteer
