Top 10 Reasons To Adopt A Greyhound!
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10. They don't slobber.
9. They hardly shed.
8. They like to hang with well-behaved kids.
7. They're the fastest dogs on the block, but don't brag about it.
6. They're bigger couch potatoes than you are.
5. They could qualify for Mensa (most of them...).
4. They're always unfailingly sweet and polite.
3. They don't smell like dogs.
2. They look you in the eye when you talk to them.
1. They're forever thankful to you for saving their lives! |
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Are Greyhounds sensitive to weather extremes?
Yes. The absence of an appreciable fat layer on their bodies makes them sensitive to heat, cold, or rain. If outside for more than a short time in cold weather, they should be protected with a coat. No dog should be left outside during extreme temperatures.
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Are Greyhounds good with children?
More so than most breeds. They are not as playful as puppies, since they are mature dogs, but they are very tolerant of children and will usually walk away rather than growl or snap at an overbearing child. But, like any dog, they have their limits, and children must be taught to respect those limits. To allow Greyhounds to hunt and race together, and to make greyhounds tolerate constant handling by a number of people, aggressiveness towards other dogs and people has been nearly eliminated from the breed.
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Are Greyhounds good with other pets?
Greyhounds are friendly by nature and socialize well because of their experiences with other greyhounds in the racing kennel. Greyhounds have never been exposed to other breeds of dogs. They know other greyhounds but may be perplexed, frightened or simply ignore other breeds. Greyhounds do not know how to defend themselves except by flight and will often "freeze" if attacked. Most can learn to accept cats, but the introductory period must be very closely monitored. Some Greyhounds need to be taught to differentiate between the cat and the mechanical lure they have been chasing around the track. If your Greyhound even looks at your cat, jump right in and say NO! It will quickly learn the right behavior towards a smaller animal. Never leave your Greyhound alone with your family cat until you are sure they get along.
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Do Greyhounds shed?
Yes, but less than most dogs. Their coats are short and sleek and don't smell doggy for long periods between baths.
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Looking For A Loving, Gentle Greyhound To Make Your New House A Home? If So, I Will Pay The Adoption Fee or My Clients Who Buy or Sell a Bucks County Home! If you prefer, I will make a donation in your name instead. Who Says Money Can't Buy Love? :) |
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I started out looking for a pet for my pet. My Doberman puppy, Mookie, was full of more energy than me so I thought he needed a peppy playmate. My Sheltie, Pippi, used to be a suitable companion back when they were the same size. Now he had grown into a quite a Marmaduke and romping together in the yard had to stop. So that is when I started to look into Greyhounds. I have to say I thought I might be jumping from the proverbale fire into the frying pan because I definetly did NOT need anymore extra perky dogs in the house. I assumed that because Greyhounds race, they were very active. If you are a Greyhound owner who is reading this you are probably laughing out loud because you know they are the BIGGEST couch potatoes in the world. 
I went to a Greyhound "Meet and Greet" and met the most wonderful people and their sweet dogs. I was amazed how calm they were. When I looked into the soulful eyes of those dogs, I knew I had to have my very own. I was introduced to my wonderful Willow and the rest is history. She is a very affection, intelligent, elegant, and athletic girl who makes me laugh when she smiles and acts like a clown. Greyhounds are the only dogs who smile. Yes, I am serious. If you have ever thought about getting a dog, make it a Greyhound and experience the greyt joy these dogs will bring you.
Answer the Greyhound's Prayer: "When I die, let it be as a pet, so that someone will remember me."
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Are Greyhounds housebroken?
Frequently an adopted greyhound is completely housebroken right from the start. Greyhounds are kennel trained. This means that they are taught not to soil their own space. At the track greyhounds are taken three or four times a day to a turnout pen to relieve themselves. As a result, they do not learn how to tell us that they have to go out. There may be an accident or two, but this is best avoided by taking your greyhound out frequently and giving it lots of praise when it finds the right spot. Watch it closely at first, and it will quickly learn that its new home is the place it keeps clean and outside is where it relieves itself. When letting your greyhound into your yard to go, don't distract it; you want it to focus on the reason for being outside. Greyhounds, although leash trained, need to be taught to go to the bathroom while on a lead. This requires a little more time than teaching them where the door is. Frequent walks, with timely praise, teach them that their new home is the place they keep clean, and outside is the place they "go".
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Can they be kept outdoors?
No. Greyhounds need to be indoor pets. Because of their thin coats and lack of body fat, they cannot stand temperature extremes. Even in moderate climates, it gets too hot and too cold outside for greyhounds. They can't tolerate all day in the garage either. Some folks who are gone all day install dog doors, which allow their Greyhound to come inside when he gets too hot or cold during the day.
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How large are greyhounds?
Greyhound males stand 26 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 65-85 lbs. Females stand 23 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 50 to 65 lbs. They come in many colors: black, white, several shades of brindle, fawn, red, blue or a combination of these colors.
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How old are the retired racers, and what is their life expectancy?
Greyhounds placed through adoption programs are usually two to five years old. The younger dogs may not have qualified for racing. Most of the older dogs were retired from racing because they were no longer competitive. Retired greyhounds enjoy many years of good health. With proper care, they have a life expectancy of twelve years or more.
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How much exercise do greyhounds need?
Greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog. But they are sprinters without a lot of endurance. A retired racer is quite content to be a "couch potato" and spend most of the day sleeping. Greyhounds can never be trusted off leash out of a fenced area. Raised in such a sheltered life at the track, a greyhound has no street smarts. greyhounds can run at speeds of up to 45 mph and will chase moving objects. Because Greyhounds are sighthounds (not scenthounds), a loose one would run so fast and so far that it would quickly get lost, if not hit by a car. Exercising your Greyhound with walks and occasional chances to run around in a fenced area is all that's required. At the track, Greyhounds are used to running every three to four days, so you may see a pattern to your dog's energy peaks. You are the best playmate your Greyhound could have and it will follow your lead regarding how much exercise it gets. Most Greyhounds will enjoy an occasional sprint in an enclosed, grassy area. Some of them love to run; others are simply not interested after they retire. Greyhounds also make great jogging and hiking companions once they become accustomed to longer distances and the new pace. Since they have been trained as sprinters, their endurance must be built up.
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How do track and show Greyhounds differ?
In general, track Greyhounds are a little shorter and less heavy than show Greyhounds. Track Greyhounds are more heavily muscled in the rear and their necks and heads are not as slenderly exaggerated as those of show Greyhounds. Behavioral differences probably are due to differences in upbringing. Track Greyhounds may live longer because of superior cardio-vascular conditioning. However, these differences have not been established scientifically.
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Why are Greyhounds muzzled?
A Greyhound's racing instinct is based on a well-developed prey drive. When you have a group of Greyhounds together, especially ones unknown to one another, muzzling prevents accidental nips. Greyhounds are not dog aggressive, but when excited may nip at others. Due to their thin skin, a nip could mean a trip to the vet for stitches.
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Can Greyhounds swim?
Many people believe that because of their structure and low body fat that they cannot swim. This is not true. Some Greyhounds are excellent swimmers. Never leave a Greyhound unsupervised near any body of water, including a pool, until you are confident that it can swim and can safely get out of the water unassisted.
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What do Greyhounds eat?
During their racing careers, Greyhounds are fed a high energy diet to help them perform at their peak. However, retired racers need only a high-quality dry dog food with a protein content of 20 to 26 percent to provide nutrition and to prevent weight gain. When you adopt a greyhound, it will be at "racing weight". Most will reach "pet weight" in about a month. This is usually a gain of 5 to 7 pounds. Give your greyhound 2 to 3 cups of food in the morning, and again in the evening (a bit more for the first month). Your Greyhound should retain a sleek look; you should be able to feel its ribs but not see them.
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Do Greyhounds have special medical needs?
Some people assume that Greyhounds, as an exotic breed, require extra care and special attention. This isn't true. Greyhounds don't require any special veterinary care. Greyhounds require only about one-fourth of the normal anesthetic and are sensitive to certain flea medications. Barbiturates of any kind are not tolerated by these dogs and are usually fatal if used. Greyhounds are the only large breed of dog not plagued by hip dysplasia.
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A Dog With A Past
 Greyhounds have had a special place in history for a long time. And until modern times, were treasured by their owners, usually royalty or noblemen, and treated as one of the family.
Ancient Times
The greyhound, as we know it today, was worshipped in ancient Egypt. The death of a favorite greyhound was treated the same as the death of a human. Families shaved heads, stopped eating, wailed, and mummified and buried their pets with their owners. Greyhounds traveled from ancient Egypt to ancient Greece and were treated with the same reverence. The same is true for ancient Rome. Gods in all three cultures were portrayed with greyhounds -- Anubis in Egypt is sometimes interpreted as part man, part hound. The Greek Gods Hecate, Pollux, and Artemis all had greyhounds as companions. In Rome, Diana was just one of the many gods who were portrayed with greyhounds. It was in ancient Rome that it appears that greyhound racing after hares started as a sport.
Medieval Times
Greyhounds almost became extinct during the Middle Ages as famine and pestilence spread across the land. Men of the cloth saved them, and the nobility claimed them as an exclusive right of theirs. It is during the Renaissance that greyhounds were painted and immortalized. Both Chaucer and Shakespeare mentioned greyhounds in their literature.
In the 1700's greyhound coursing became popular and spread across Britain and Europe. During the same time, bulldogs were bred with greyhounds by an English nobleman named Lord Orford and these crosses continued for 7 generations, and were very popular.
Getting To America
As the Britons emigrated to America, they brought their greyhounds with them. And found them ideally suited to chase down rabbits that were interfering with their crops. This led to bets and wagers among the farmers as to who had the faster dog. And in the 1900's, an artificial lure and an oval track led to the first formal greyhound wagering, the forerunner of our greyhound racetracks.
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Are Greyhounds affectionate?
Because they have been in bustling kennels and a racing environment that requires extensive handling, Greyhounds crave human company and affection. They have been handled a great deal during their early years by dog walkers, trainers, veterinarians and others. As a result, they are very good with adults unknown to them. A side effect of this is that they do not make good "protection dogs." At the racetrack, your Greyhound had to share a human with a dozen or more other dogs. As a result, adopted Greyhounds are eager to please and will soak up all the love you can give them. They are very sensitive dogs, and can sense your mood by your body language and the tone of your voice. You'll find that when they are not curled up for a nap, they like to follow you around the house so they know where you are.
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Are Greyhounds active, noisy dogs?
The most common misconception concerning greyhounds is that they are hyperactive. It is actually the opposite. Greyhounds are an inquisitive, gentle, mild, quiet animal by nature. The Greyhound is basically a quiet dog and will spend much of its time sleeping in the corner of the room--unless you allow it a spot on the sofa. They are not barkers by nature, but will bark if excited or if they are trying to tell you something. They can exhibit a quiet but surprising independence. Their spirit has not been broken by their training or racing experiences.
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How should I correct my Greyhound?
For any correction, a firm NO! is all that you should need. Your tone of voice and a firm NO! will quickly let your Greyhound know how to behave. Some methods taught by obedience schools prove too harsh for use with Greyhounds and must be modified.
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