Stanley finally offleash

[sozzle]

I know this may sound odd to many of you but with an ex racing greyhound you have to make sure that the bond is strong and that they have good recall before you can risk offleash. Also the worry is that they could run off and get so far away they won't hear you calling, or worse still run towards a road. It took me 8 months before I finally felt brave enough to let him walk with me at the river offleash. The one time I was really nervous he decided to chase a young border collie who made heaps of noise, luckily the dog was running around and around and Stanley got tired pretty quick as GHs do better on the 'straight' and after apologising to the owner she was fine about it. Generally he just stays by my side and might run off to investigate another dog or chase another dog, but always comes back. I am muzzling him at the moment 'just in case' he decides to chase a small white fluffy dog and think it is a rabbit, but actually I don't think he would ever 'attack' another dog because he would recognise it was a dog from the smell, but for my peace of mind for the time being, this is what happens. He is generally fine with all the dogs we meet and pretty much after the first greeting ignores them and I suppose having lived with dogs for the first 5 years of his life he is used to them. I am so proud of him, he has done really well and recently passed his Foundation Canine Good Citizen, apparently only the 7th greyhound in NZ to have passed!

(In Australia GHs have to be muzzled whilst out in public, we don't have that rule here, except if they are being fostered.)

GO STANLEY!! he's a star in my eyes and I love him dearly.

[xellil]

I know this may sound odd to many of you but with an ex racing greyhound you have to make sure that the bond is strong and that they have good recall before you can risk offleash.

That's true of any dog, really. I never had the guts to let Rebel offleash the first time. it took my brother, who I guess got tired of me whining how scared I was to do it, to one day just open the car door and tell my dog to get on out there in the wide world. Kind of surprising to me he didn't disappear in the sunset, but one thing that is amazing about having no leash is he's about 90% less reactive to other animals when he's not on a leash.

Congratulations - it's wonderful to be able to have that kind of trust with your dog.

[xchairity_casex]

Awwww congratz! how wonderful!
the last dog i owned before getting BTs was a dobermon mix who i NEVER allowed off lead becuase of how hyper she was she just needed to run and run..and run so i was always so fearful. then when i got my one male BT puppy i decided since i got him at 7 weeks i was going to let him off elad he was young and small and would run off and that would make training easier and...i was right after him i got Cesar who was about 6 months old and began working with the long line and treats who know is awsome off elad and has an amzing recall ive now decided i will NEVER own a dog who cannot be let off lead lol even if that emans doing all the work i can to make them that way! its just so much fun seeing your dog off lead run as fast and hard as they can to play with other dogs freely i can be having the worst day imaginable even grumble to myself the entire time im walking him on lead but the second i let him go to run i just smile and am so happy its no problem for me to watch Cesar and Kira run and play for 3 or more hours once it was 4 hours and i had no idea i didnt wanna go home!

[MollyWoppy]

Way to go Stanley!! You are awesome.
What a good dog, you have every right to be so proud of him. Hell, we all are and we don't even know him! What a sweetie!

[Tobi]

Fantastic!!! Good for Stanley and you! If i may ask, why "MUST" they be muzzled in public in Australia if i may ask? pretty awesome that Stanley is the 7th in NZ to have a CGC too!

[NewYorkDogue]

Congratulations to you and Stanley! It sounds like you are really doing right by the breed in general, and your dog in particular. I can imagine being so proud and happy that the trust you have with each other has evolved to this point. And I am sure that he is a happy boy as well :)

[sozzle]

Thanks guys, you are kind. Tobi, don't know why they have to be muzzled in Aus. Maybe because of the risk of them sprinting after another smaller animal and potentially mauling? We do have a very good bond and frankly it is just wonderful to see him doing what dogs are meant to do, wandering off on his own, having a good explore and knowing where I am. Yesterday at the river a man passed us on his bike with two dogs running and Stanley said hello and they carried on, then suddenly he looks up sees them in the far distance and decides that he is going to join them at a really fast sprint, so he did, we watched and then I whistled loudly (which I learnt at age 9 with two fingers) and he came sprinting back to me looking impressive with his speed. Then a few minutes later the man passed us and commented on how much energy he had and that he didn't mind in the least Stanley joining him and his dogs briefly and said he didn't even see him coming. (This can be a potential problem of course, as it would be awful if he knocked someone over, although he tends to avoid people when at speed). After that he was completely knackered so the rest of the walk he didn't do any more running just sedate trotting and laying down when I stopped to talk to someone. Greyhounds are good on short sprints but can't keep going and going like other breeds ha ha!

[xellil]

I am very jealous that you can whistle like that. Very, very jealous.

[NewYorkDogue]

I am very jealous that you can whistle like that. Very, very jealous.

Oh, yeah...me too. I SO wish I could whistle like that-- sharp and clear. My older brother could do it without the fingers; he tried to teach me, but it didn't quite work

[sozzle]

I am very jealous that you can whistle like that. Very, very jealous.

A friend taught me whilst in Greece on holiday and I remember coming home to England and sitting under the dining room table (god knows why) and practising and practising and I must say it has come in VERY useful on many many occasions, normally when trying to get the attention of someone in the distance.
Mind you, I wish I could burp 'on purpose', have no idea how to do it and can only do if imbibing a fizzy drink!!
My 14 year old son although accomplished in many things cannot whistle at all the normal way and has never burped, even accidentally, weird or what!?