Ours is quite happy being left from 8-4 in the back yard … She honestly behaves no different if I’m at home

How do you know if you aren’t there?

don simon – Member

Now you want to tell me what I have or haven’t seen…

No mate, despite your repeated attempts, you still haven’t figured out that I’m not going to waste my time arguing with you.

You win……..I’m wrong and you’re right.

No mate, despite your repeated attempts, you still haven’t figured out that I’m not going to waste my time arguing with you.

Job done if I don’t have to read any more opinion masquerading as fact. 😆

How do you know if you aren’t there?

neighbour tells me, she either sleeps on the decking or in her kennel and only starts to stir around 4.30 which is when I usually get home.

Should be said though this wouldnt work with a puppy.

bullheart I dont follow what your trying to say, sorry.

By demonstrating that you think that creationism is crazy, you show that you are incapable of impartial debate or empathy for an alternative perspective. There are pro’s and con’s to both sides of this argument; the trick is to convince the other side using strong evidence.

With respect, Jean Donaldson, #1 best-selling author and dog-behaviourist, is probably not who I’d look for to bolster my argument…

By demonstrating that you think that creationism is crazy, you show that you are incapable of impartial debate or empathy for an alternative perspective. There are pro’s and con’s to both sides of this argument; the trick is to convince the other side using strong evidence.

With respect, Jean Donaldson, #1 best-selling author and dog-behaviourist, is probably not who I’d look for to bolster my argument…

In most scientific arguments I’d agree with you, but there’s no pros to creationism. It’s utter bobbins.

She was explaining this:

journal of applied animal welfare science

so can you tell me the relevance of fox behaviour and the Darwinst/creationsist debate to this one?

The thing is that many breeds of domestic dog are so far removed from wolves or wild dogs that looking at ‘natural behaviour’ is irrelevant. They are products of artificial selection, so strategies successful in the wild go out of the window.

Ted has deerhound and saluki blood in his breeding. Two breeds that have been selected for very long chases, independent of human guidance. Those that had a singular purpose when on the chase, despite how far they were getting away from their handlers, were more successful, and more frequently bred from. The side effect of this is the well known saluki aloofness. They also show wilful disobedience until the task at hand is complete, whether it’s chasing a rabbit, whizzing on a tree, or eating a meal. Ted has this in spades. He very often goes off to a quiet corner on another floor in the house to get some peace.

Ted couldn’t give a toss about pack leader status, it’s been bred out of him. He wants chasing, long pursuits of a quarry (only an Aerobie satisifes Ted’s need to chase over a long distance) and a comfy bed. He needs firm handling, because he has no concept of pack leader, and you have to constantly assert your wishes. If he doesn’t want to conform, you might as well piss in the wind.

It’s all because of the qualities inherited from his ancestors, artificially selected by humans shaping the breed to their own ends.

In summary, not all breeds are the same(!)

EDIT: And to answer the OP’s question, you’d have to try hard to muck up looking after a greyhound.

Whilst the brainiacs have the debate may I suggest the answer to your question is simple

In most scientific arguments I’d agree with you, but there’s no pros to creationism. It’s utter bobbins.

Then we are in agreement. I don’t believe in God, nor creationism. But I wouldn’t refer to those that do as crazy. Doing so implies that I regard the concept as credible. It isn’t.

so can you tell me the relevance of fox behaviour and the Darwinst/creationsist debate to this one?

Hell no. That’s Mr Lynch’s argument. But no matter what, dogs are pack animals, they don’t enjoy long periods by themselves, and they don’t sleep all day.

they don’t enjoy long periods by themselves, and they don’t sleep all day.

Mine does…..

so can you tell me the relevance of fox behaviour and the Darwinst/creationsist debate to this one?

Well you obviously missed some of my post, and to be fair it was quite long. The relevance of fox behaviour was an example of the comment concerning “how human behaviour affects the lives of wild carnivore” summed up with “Humans can have a profound affect on the behaviour of wild animals.”

The relevance of the Darwin/evolution debate was pointed out here : “As far as scientific evidence is concerned, it is hardly surprising if you manage to dig up an opposing scientific argument. There are plenty of opposing scientific POVs for most things.”

With a bit of effort I’m sure you could have worked out for yourself why I made those points, specially if you had fully read the post.

btw, since you didn’t apparently read the post properly, you might have missed this out as well “Having said all that, solitary wolves are far from unknown, hence the common reference to the “lone wolf” by the indigenous people’s of the Americas. Therefore the solitary v pack argument is never that clear-cut and straightforward, but there is no doubt at all that wolves/dogs have highly complex social lives, and they are also highly social animals …. imho.”

I am clearly generalising and unsurprisingly exceptions can always be thrown up, hence comments such as “if you get the right dog”, which actually only further provides more evidence that dogs are in fact naturally sociable pack animals.

Foxes are sort of dogs thought, Ernie, and they’re not pack animals.(or are they?) So it might be that some dogs are and some dogs aren’t.

Did the OP ever comment again? Scanning through, I’d say nope…can’t imagine why not though with so many positive contributions.

I’d agree with the ‘get a cat’ suggestion

Foxes are a different species which have evolved different behaviour to dogs emsz. But fox behaviour, like most species, is the same across the board, eg, you don’t get fox packs.

Mine does…..

Do you fancy trading? My two are bastards… 😉

they don’t enjoy long periods by themselves, and they don’t sleep all day.

Mine does…..

so does mine

I am clearly generalising and unsurprisingly exceptions can always be thrown up, hence comments such as “if you get the right dog”, which actually only further provides more evidence that dogs are in fact naturally sociable pack animals.

so the only evidence you’ve come up with is something about foxes, Darwinism/Creationism, National Geographi and the fact that some dogs like being on their own?
I must say your not convincing me

I must say your not convincing me

And you can imagine how important that is to me.

Do some googling of your own, if you want more than the National Geographical article.

Do you fancy trading? My two are bastards…

There’s a switch in Ted’s brain that trips when we go through the front door, and he becomes the same. Well, for some of the time anyway. So on balance….

I seriously reckon that my most common utterance over the last 4.5 years is simply “Ted”. In this manner: “Ted….Ted…..Ted….OI! TED!….[voice of doom]TEeeddd![/voice of doom]”….etc… And that’s just at 03:00 when he’s remaking his bed for the third time. Wouldn’t swap him though :O)

they don’t enjoy long periods by themselves, and they don’t sleep all day.

Mine does…..

so does mine

Lurchers FTW! Or something…

Seem to have created a monster here.

Leaving it alone all day would be worst case scenario – girlfriend is a teacher and can come home at lunchtimes, as well as mother in law living (a little too) close and has volunteered to check in around her part time work schedule.

Rest assured I’ll think much longer than harder than just a single STW post before committing, and will weigh up what’s best for the dog rather than what’s best for me and my lifestyle…

…or just stuff it and get a cute one at Xmas and give it back when the novelty’s worn off.

Bikemonkey, a retired racing greyhound would fit that easily. A walk before work, midday whizz break, and walk after work is all they need. Some of them are so badly institutionalised they need a good while to adapt to a home environment, but many just adapt straight away.

Look up http://www.greyhoundgap.com