Rampur Hound, other suggestions?

[Linds]

Can I ask a question that isn't really related to the discussion? I mean, it is kinda as it's about sighthounds.

I read time and time again they can't be let off leash but then how do people hunt with them? Seems like if your dog takes off and you can never get them back they would make a pretty useless hunting dog.

ETA: I didn't mean for that to come off sounding argumentative it's something I've often wondered about and am genuinely curious.

[Pops2]

the hunting is why they "can't be let off leash." that is really a pet/rescue attitude that comes about because the switch can flip at any time and a previously "cat safe" dog can take off after the neighbor's cat. one problem from that is they tend to have selective hearing while running and can be oblivious to everything resulting in their running infront of a car etc.
when i hunt & really want the best chance of catching stuff I put Sonic on a leash & slip him on game I spot. if i don't care about catching game I just let him run loose.

[Romy]

People don't just start walking through the wilderness with their hounds off leash. Usually you keep them on lead and slip them when game is sighted. They're not going to randomly run away once they've sighted a specific critter. When my guys are on a raccoon, they'll run until they catch it or it's in a tree. Once it's in a tree I have to drag them away, so no worries about losing them there. If they catch it, it ends up dead and then they're all proud and want to show me. It gives me a chance to catch up too.

Sight hounds can have fantastic recalls if you train them. Kaia's is amazing. Strider's is not so great, but since he's a boy he likes to stop and wizz on everything so I'm able to catch him, lol. It's definitely not a good idea to have them loose when you're walking around roads and places where zooming after a squirrel or car will make them dead.

eta: pops beat me to it, but yeah. that

[Aleron]

I was going to suggest Azawahks as well. The ones that come to coursing here seem very protective and are very vocal about it. They act like GSDs when they are in their van LOL

[chaospony]

Chiming in too on the off leash thing. Many sighthounds are regularly let off, in areas like deserted beaches or big open fields, places where there is little chance of getting nailed by a car when that instinct kicks in and suddenly they are deaf and running at 30 mph. That being said it has happened that a 100% reliable hound just finds something so tempting to chase that they get lost.
And there are the brats that have no intention of listening and just want to run and run and run.

[Linds]

Ok, was just curious. Most of the sighthounds I've met (Whippets, Saluki, Sloughi and Ibizan) I've met at the off leash dog park I go to (large but unfenced).

[Pops2]

Originally Posted by chaospony

Chiming in too on the off leash thing. Many sighthounds are regularly let off, in areas like deserted beaches or big open fields, places where there is little chance of getting nailed by a car when that instinct kicks in and suddenly they are deaf and running at 30 mph. That being said it has happened that a 100% reliable hound just finds something so tempting to chase that they get lost.
And there are the brats that have no intention of listening and just want to run and run and run.

30 MPH? is yours missing a leg?

[Romy]

Originally Posted by chaospony

Chiming in too on the off leash thing. Many sighthounds are regularly let off, in areas like deserted beaches or big open fields, places where there is little chance of getting nailed by a car when that instinct kicks in and suddenly they are deaf and running at 30 mph. That being said it has happened that a 100% reliable hound just finds something so tempting to chase that they get lost.
And there are the brats that have no intention of listening and just want to run and run and run.

Strider turned in to one of those. He is banished from the beach. He decided his life's mission is to catch a great blue heron and tried following one across the mudflat at low tide.

He ended up cutting the crap out of his feet on the oyster beds and I totally ruined my clothes getting up to my waist trying to catch up to him as he ran several miles up toward Woodard Bay. He only stopped because some other dogs came down to the beach and he felt the need to pee on the stuff they were peeing on.

[Saeleofu]

30 MPH? is yours missing a leg?

*giggles* I was wondering about the speed too...I know my parents' GSD could hit 30-35 easily in his prime (his previous owners ran him from their car, so when he bolted out the door as he often did at first the quickest way to catch him was to get the car - he'd run beside it and one of us would grab him and then we'd stop and get him inside the car and go home).

I think Logan can easily run 35+ MPH and he's not a sighthound. Though sometimes he likes to think he is lol.

[Romy]

Originally Posted by Saeleofu

I think Logan can easily run 35+ MPH and he's not a sighthound. Though sometimes he likes to think he is lol.

It's the pokey nose.

Actually, his sire blew all the sighthound folks away at a fun run. All kinds of borzoi, greyhound, whippet, etc. owners were having problems even getting their dogs to complete the run. Some of the people were being all patronizing to Mel, saying, "Ah well, collies like to herd the lure but you can try."

Loki flattened out and ran and straight up coursed the entire freaking course. He was not herding and he knew it.