Adopting pets while full timing

[Littlewheels]

There are three ex racing Greyhounds at one of the rescue centres. They look lovely dogs but I am not sure. I would rather wait until we both feel it’s the one for us.
We have had a Border Collie complete with seven pups after four weeks. A tubby Terrier with long legs and a German Shepherd Collie cross. All rescue dogs. They just want to be with people rather than being locked up.

That’s the thing about a Dog finding you, there is no choice to make otherwise you are abandoning a Dig in its time if need by nit taking it in because it’s not the best looking,wrong size,they all have a massive heart.

 

[Langtoftlad]

There are three ex racing Greyhounds at one of the rescue centres. They look lovely dogs but I am not sure.

Can I help with any queries or uncertainty?
https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk/
...is probably a better source than a generic rescue centre
Full disclosure, I'm less than impressed with 'charitable rescue kennels. I don't think they actually have their dog's best interests at heart.

 

[The Lb’s]

As soon as we sell our house we will be full timing with 2 dogs. The only thing is we've had to plan a few extra things for them, such as air conditioning and an inflatable windbreak etc to keep them safe. They limit what we will be able to do, as many sites don't even allow for you to leave dogs in motorhomes unattended, but we will just make plans around those limitations.

 

[bellabee]

Langtoftlad , I'm interested that you say a Greyhound isn't too big for a motorhome. Do you allow yours on the furniture, or does she stay on the floor? Does she curl up or stretch out?
I haven't been thinking about a Greyhound, but I have been considering rescuing a Galgo from Spain, but worried that they might be too big.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Langtoftlad , I'm interested that you say a Greyhound isn't too big for a motorhome. Do you allow yours on the furniture, or does she stay on the floor? Does she curl up or stretch out?
I haven't been thinking about a Greyhound, but I have been considering rescuing a Galgo from Spain, but worried that they might be too big.

Kerry basically lives under the dinette... she curls up, and/or stretches as she wants.
Greyhounds get into some very strange positions.

I don't generally use the table but there's plenty of room for her under it, if I do.

I use the step as a foot rest when in the pax cab seat - if I get a chance!

I was told by the trainer that, basically, greyhounds will fit into the space available.
This is true.
She finds a space between 2 people on my sofa... but if they get up, she will occupy the whole sofa.

Greyhound make few demands of their owner.

Sorry, I don't know what a Galgo is.

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[Jim]

We've always travelled with a German Shepherd, and its probably why we have always enjoyed a good nights sleep on French motorway aires.

 

[monzer]

We've always travelled with a German Shepherd, and its probably why we have always enjoyed a good nights sleep on French motorway aires.

Gas?

 

[Jim]

Gas?

No we feed the dog raw food, so very little gas

 

[monzer]

Well I just spent the last 15 minutes filling out most of the application forms for Lana. I'd have to lie twice, once stating that I live at my mums address in Edinburgh and the second time to say I have owned a dog before adding all details.

Not willing to do that so I guess Lana will have to wait for someone else

 

[monzer]

We've always travelled with a German Shepherd, and its probably why we have always enjoyed a good nights sleep on French motorway aires.

I use the borrow my doggy website and my first borrow was with a lovely GS earlier today. He knows a whole page of different commands and is so obedient. It was a joy to take him on a walk.

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[bigwood]

I thought we had found a nice little Terrier at one of the rescue centres near us. When I called the lady said it was a nasty little critter that really needed a home with plenty of land so he didn’t have to mix with other dogs. It had picked fights with any dog it crossed paths with large and small in the kennels. Maybe not for us.
Another dog we have seen is a lovely hairy little girl. The only warning was that she has queen Ann legs. Our relatives in Australia had a sausage dog with legs like that and it didn’t seem to bother him. He spent his life chasing lizards and leaving them in the house.
I will make further enquiries in the morning. We want things to feel right for us because the dog will hopefully be with us as long as the other three.

 

[monzer]

I thought we had found a nice little Terrier at one of the rescue centres near us. When I called the lady said it was a nasty little critter that really needed a home with plenty of land so he didn’t have to mix with other dogs. It had picked fights with any dog it crossed paths with large and small in the kennels. Maybe not for us.
Another dog we have seen is a lovely hairy little girl. The only warning was that she has queen Ann legs. Our relatives in Australia had a sausage dog with legs like that and it didn’t seem to bother him. He spent his life chasing lizards and leaving them in the house.
I will make further enquiries in the morning. We want things to feel right for us because the dog will hopefully be with us as long as the other three.

Good luck and yes I agree you need to wait until it feels right for the both of you.

I have a feeling it would be a lot easier pre covid to be fair.

 

[Minxy]

I do the website for these:

Hull Greyhound Rescue

If you are seriously considering a Greyhound give Sue a ring (mention me) and she can tell you all you need to know about them, they are lovely gentle creatures and don't take much work at all, just a bit of a sprint and that's it, they're not the type of dog that demands lots of walks ... only downside is they have a tendency to stick their noses where your 'sun don't shine' which can be quite 'shocking' at first! Even more so if it's a stranger they do it to!

 

[Lynne Roy]

We were allowed to rescue a dog from Lost Paws rescue centre in Cyprus, although we had a house at the time , they knew we would spend all year in our Motorhome and they were happy. They are on Facebook and I highly recommend them, even throughout lockdown they fly dogs to uk every month.

 

[Lynne Roy]

I

Good luck and yes I agree you need to wait until it feels right for the both of you.

I have a feeling it would be a lot easier pre covid to be fair.

Langtoftlad , I'm interested that you say a Greyhound isn't too big for a motorhome. Do you allow yours on the furniture, or does she stay on the floor? Does she curl up or stretch out?
I haven't been thinking about a Greyhound, but I have been considering rescuing a Galgo from Spain, but worried that they might be too big.

Hi, do have a look at Lost Paws Sotira Cyprus, they are very careful homing their dogs, they take them to live in their homes with other pets and children before flying them to uk, so they are 100% sure the dogs are lovely pets. We did pay £400 to fly Faye back, but that included passport, neutering, and they have been flying all through lockdown, but they fly to Belgium and then come through tunnel on dog transport, but they have coped really well, and are the most beautiful assortment of dogs, advantage then is the dog has an E.U. passport, more preferable to my passport

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[Molly A]

If you had said i could have brought you one back

So many gorgeous stray dogs in Greece, it's heartbreaking isn't it?

 

[bobandjanie]

Sorry, I don't know what a Galgo is.

Spanish version of a greyhound

monzer I would also avoid the big rehoming centres. The main 'brands' they seem to be businesses rather than rehoming centres (which for those few animals they do well) but there are so many other places. Small regimes and privately, but do a good bit of research on the 'owner' to make sure it is not a stolen dog!
Over the years both daughters have rehomed privately, as have we. Getting a 6 month (couldn't cope), a 10.5 month (relocating abroad) and an 18 month (owner died, family already had dogs) old doggies. Our Zoe was a pup from a small centre, our cat was a 5 ish year old from another, and our first cat was a starving stray. Sometimes you find a doggie needs rehoming by word of mouth.
Also loads of doggies in Spain, they ship them all over!

As for those thinking of breeding pups. Stop. Just stop it. Regardless of some people having problems finding that fur family member they will. If we could stop breeding for a few years, if there was no profit in breeding too, then every dog would find a home. There would be a balance. Janie

 

[Molly A]

A general shoutout that greyhounds are excellent "rescues"
Also their rehoming services are a little less precious.
I thought a gey might be too big for a Motorhome. I was wrong.

How do you manage their prey drive? Don't they go after anything small and furry?A family member nearly rescued one and when she told them that there were cats , rabbits and squirrels around, she was told that it could be a problem with an ex racer.

 

[Darling]

Have we any full timers on here that have adopted any pets?

I have been wanting to adopt a rescue dog for ages now and have actually found one close by to me that is looking for a home. The thing is a lot of the replies I get are saying living in a motorhome is not suitable.

I'm not disputing that they have a point but I know loads of members on here have dogs in their vans and I know Northernraider full times with his 2.

I'm not sure whether it is a good idea or not to be honest. Any thoughts?

I think any loving home is better for a dog instead of being in kennels. The problem is that some rescue centres won’t let you have one.

 

[Molly A]

Gas?

Off topic, but has anyone on this site actually been gassed on a French motorway aire?

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[Molly A]

Well I just spent the last 15 minutes filling out most of the application forms for Lana. I'd have to lie twice, once stating that I live at my mums address in Edinburgh and the second time to say I have owned a dog before adding all details.

Not willing to do that so I guess Lana will have to wait for someone else

That is so sad.... sorry, but I think I would have lied...( not sorry!)

 

[Molly A]

I do the website for these:

Hull Greyhound Rescue

If you are seriously considering a Greyhound give Sue a ring (mention me) and she can tell you all you need to know about them, they are lovely gentle creatures and don't take much work at all, just a bit of a sprint and that's it, they're not the type of dog that demands lots of walks ... only downside is they have a tendency to stick their noses where your 'sun don't shine' which can be quite 'shocking' at first! Even more so if it's a stranger they do it to!

Well it would certainly we an interesting way to get to know someone, skip over social niceties straight into raw intimacy!

 

[Grummyb]

I need to ask why do people have get dogs from foreign rehoming centres surely there are enough unwanted already before we start bringing more into the country

 

[Molly A]

I need to ask why do people have get dogs from foreign rehoming centres surely there are enough unwanted already before we start bringing more into the country

 

[Northernraider]

I need to ask why do people have get dogs from foreign rehoming centres surely there are enough unwanted already before we start bringing more into the country

Because the uk ones have ridiculous demands sadly

Live in a van youve got no chance with many of them

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[Molly A]

I think it is generally the difficulty of adopting one from the likes of the RSPCA. Some of the charities that bring them in from Europe take a much more pragmatic approach. Also if you look at the websites of many rescues, a lot of the dogs on offers are bull breeds, like staffies, and a lot of people are unwilling to adopt them because of various horror stories in the press. This is , of course, totally unfair, as I am sure 99% of staffies are entirely delightful. Personally I have only ever been snarled at by feisty rescue JRT up the track from us , who hates averyone apart from his owner!

 

[bigwood]

I sympathise with Monzer trying to adopt a dog from the response I have had from the rescue centres I have contacted so far.
Being asked if I was confident to take on a rescue dog or as a pensioner would a rescue dog be too much for us to handle. Our garden isn’t suitable because its paved not lawn. It has three foot of brick wall and three foot of fence panel making it a six foot wall in my eyes. Without looking at the wall I was told it didn’t sound very secure.
At the moment we are very limited with travel restrictions making most centres out of reach. We are hopefully away on the 12th of April so I am going to leave things until we come back.

 

[Rosemary1]

I thought we had found a nice little Terrier at one of the rescue centres near us. When I called the lady said it was a nasty little critter that really needed a home with plenty of land so he didn’t have to mix with other dogs. It had picked fights with any dog it crossed paths with large and small in the kennels. Maybe not for us.
Another dog we have seen is a lovely hairy little girl. The only warning was that she has queen Ann legs. Our relatives in Australia had a sausage dog with legs like that and it didn’t seem to bother him. He spent his life chasing lizards and leaving them in the house.
I will make further enquiries in the morning. We want things to feel right for us because the dog will hopefully be with us as long as the other three.

Jerry (The white one in my picture) has Queen Ann legs, also picks fights with other dogs which is a whole other story. His legs don’t seem to have ever given him any problem.

 

[Rosemary1]

I sympathise with Monzer trying to adopt a dog from the response I have had from the rescue centres I have contacted so far.
Being asked if I was confident to take on a rescue dog or as a pensioner would a rescue dog be too much for us to handle. Our garden isn’t suitable because its paved not lawn. It has three foot of brick wall and three foot of fence panel making it a six foot wall in my eyes. Without looking at the wall I was told it didn’t sound very secure.
At the moment we are very limited with travel restrictions making most centres out of reach. We are hopefully away on the 12th of April so I am going to leave things until we come back.

A lot of people are of the option that some rescues want such a perfect home for the dogs that the poor things wait out their lives in kennels waiting for someone to be able to match the cierteria

 

[Langtoftlad]

How do you manage their prey drive? Don't they go after anything small and furry?A family member nearly rescued one and when she told them that there were cats , rabbits and squirrels around, she was told that it could be a problem with an ex racer.

It all depends:
Some are up for adoption because they have little or no "prey drive" so won't run round the track.
Some, like Kerry, are too lazy to chase after anything unless it's within a few feet.
The trainers or greyhound trust will know the character of their dogs - probably more so than any 'rescue charity'.
But I think, fundamentally, you have to accept you can rarely let them off the lead unless absolutely certain it's safe.
I use a flexi lead on our walks [though its not recommended by greyhound 'experts'] which seems to give Kerry enough freedom.

I absolutely agree with all the above criticisms above about the dog rescue centres.
Greyhound rehoming attitudes seems a lot more pragmatic [cheaper too].

Any other questions, I'll happily try to answer.

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