Why you should use a short leash on your greyhound

Given the gentle temperament of greyhounds and the fact that they generally don’t

pull on the lead, it can be tempting to think that using a long lead and allowing

greyhound's greater freedom to explore is a good idea.

Despite their gentle nature, you cannot forget that greyhounds have inherent traits

that are built into their DNA and can override your training. Here’s why you

should always keep your greyhound on a short leash:

Greyhounds are torpedoes on land, they can go from zero to 70km/h in just three

strides. Yes, you read that correctly - 3 strides from this impressive canine can

exceed (and almost double) the speed limit allowable for cars through school zones.

When they are in this mode, they are not concentrating on you. Their bodies are filled with adrenaline and your commands to stop will

not break their laser-focused ambition.

As you can imagine, having a long leash in this situation makes it dangerous for you

and your dog. Injuries can easily be sustained from the sudden (and powerful) pull

on your wrist and shoulder, let alone injuries from being bowled over through sheer

velocity. Your dog may also sustain injuries to its neck and shoulders should it

experience a sudden pull in the other direction. Give the GAP team a call to talk about the ideal leash length of a greyhound and they’ll be able to point you in the right direction and also show you the best way to hold the leash securely too.

Greyhounds (otherwise known as sight hounds) have amazing eyesight. They can

see something the size of a football from almost 1km away. This could trigger a

reaction which you are not prepared for to something you can’t even see. Remain alert to your greyhound.

Short leashes allow for greater control which will help you to manage unpredictable

situations like if your greyhound is approached by an aggressive dog or becomes

fixated on something in the distance.