how are greyhound dogs for pets?

Question

they are ex racing dogs

Answer 1

Greyhounds are wonderful pets. They have a very calm, laid-back attitude. As sprinters their energy level is fairly low, they can sleep up to 20 hours per day - earning them the nickname 'the 45mph couch potato'. Greyhounds are raised from birth around humans. No other breed is as uniformly socialized as the racing greyhound. This means that a dog you bring into your home will automatically look to you to be the leader of the pack. Dogs coming from a track will be crate trained - which is very easy to translate into housebreaking if you don't want to use a crate at home. They have been taught to walk calmly on a leash.

Some things to look out for when adopting a retired racing greyhound: Unless your dog comes from a foster home s/he will not have experience with things as simple as hardwood floors, mirrors and stairs. Greyhounds are used to sleeping alone in their crates, this means that they are not used to having someone walk up to them and pet them while they are laying down. In some dogs this can illicit a fear response. Usually you can desensitize them to this but you need to be aware of this. They also are not used to being alone. From birth they are in packs with their littermates on the farm and later in a training facility, then they go into a racing kennel where there are always other dogs around. Some dogs going into a home where they are an only dog can be stressed by this situation.

Again, most of these problems are initial stresses of bringing a dog home for the first time - something that can happen with any type of dog. The adoption agency that you work with will be able to match you up with a dog suitable to your family and lifestyle. Most groups offer extensive follow-up support to their adopters. If you decide to adopt a retired racer I'm sure you won't regret it.

ETA - wow you got a lot of responses as I was typing! A few notes on what others said above me - you don't have to crate your grey, they adapt very well to life on a dog bed. They are not used to other dogs stealing their food, but as with any dogs if you are feeding more than one you should feed them in separate bowls at specific times of the day and monitor their eating habits. They do not need special food. Greys DO need coats in winter if you live in a cold area. Not all greys will chase small animals. Some dogs have a high prey drive - they will go after anything small and fuzzy. Some dogs have a low prey drive - there are many, many greys who live in homes with cats and even rabbits. This is something your adoption group will go over with you. They also don't need to be run every day. If you ran your dog every day s/he would be exhausted. Mine go to the park twice a week for a run and are usually pooped out the rest of the time. Many dogs only get excersise through leash walking and do not suffer at all. As for kids, greys are generally good with them (although individual personality of both dog and kid can play a part here). I have two dogs who love it when my 4yo snuggles with them, hugs them climbs on them, etc. and I have two dogs who don't care for that much and will walk away. Again though, since they have been handled by humans from birth they naturally defer to the authority of my 4yo and will walk away rather than growl/bark/nip him. Lastly greys do no have a shorter lifespan than other dogs. Quite the contrary greys have a much higher lifespan than other large breeds. They are the only large breed free of genetic problems such as hip dysplasia. This is because greyhounds are bred as performance animals - a racing dog with hip problems isn't going to race well enough to become a breeding specimen! Racing greyhounds come from a diverse genetic background of 46 distinct female families, far more than most other purebred dogs.

Answer 2

As an owner of a retired racer, I can say you have some great answers here, except from SheltyK. I don't know where to start with correcting him/her. (Why do people answer with such blatantly FALSE crap?) The top speed of a racing greyhound is 43mph. (A retired one will be slower, although not much). They are VERY lazy, but almost always have a strong prey drive - so usually inadvisable if you have a cat. Some aren't great with really small dogs either. That said, I know one person who has successfully rehomed an ex-racing greyhound with a cat, and a few others who have re-homed with small dogs - but I'd never trust mine. They are affectionate but sometimes aloof. They are quite independent. Because they are usually ex-racers, they will not have been taught to play. Teaching mine to play has been one of the most rewarding parts of greyhound ownership. Recall is likely to be a problem, so if you let the dog off lead, make sure you are in an area that is fenced off. Exercise? 20 minutes twice a day minimum (plus extra toilet breaks when necessary), although he/she'll accept a really long walk if you want to, and it's probably in the dog's best interests to give the occasional longer walk or short burst off-lead. They'd certainly appreciate it. Overall though, if you rehome a greyhound, you'll have a wonderful, placid companion, who'll love nothing more than curling up on the sofa next to you. Good luck.

Answer 3

Greys are great pets. As mentioned above, they do like to sleep a lot actually. About 80% of the time if they can! Small animals, cats or small dogs, can pose an issue if they are rescue dogs, but even this can be overcome and not ALL greys have an issue. Never leave any dog with a rabbit or guinea pig! If you go for a Spanish Greyhound (a galgo) they will need a jacket in the cooler seasons since they fur is thin as is their skin. The latter means they may get cut more easily that other dogs. Greys from Ireland and such are not as sensitive to the cold, but still appreciate some protection since their bodies are bred to have very little fat to act as an insulator.

Answer 4

Greyhounds make great pets. There are many Greyhounds that need a home. They do like to be walked everyday. You would need a fenced yard. It doesn't need to be very big. They are sitehounds so they would always need to be on a leash outside of the fence. In the winter we have coats to put on the dogs. In the summer the dogs should not be outside when it is hot for a long time. They don't have alot of body fat so they get cold and overheated. There are some that would not do well with small children. Once you look into a Greyhounds eyes he or she will steal your heart. If you are looking to rescue a Greyt, I would suggest you find a organization that fosters the dogs before you bring one into your home. They will help find a dog that would best be suited for your home. I hope this will post will encourage you to get a Greyt.
We have three Greyts in our home. Once you have one, you will want more.
One more thing. X-racers become couch pototes.
I hope this will answer your question.
Nancy

Answer 5

The ones that I have seen, that people have adopted, have been very nice docile pets. They are gentle and sweet, but the racing dogs have not had a social life style so once adopted, they can be reserved and shy. They are not used to people. You have to keep them on a leash at all times because if they see prey they are off and you may never see them again. In doors you may misjudge them as being lazy. They like to lie around a lot. They are saving themselves for the chase. They do not bark much. An attribute for a pet dog and forget about having one a a guard dog. If it does not look like something to chase they are not interested.

Answer 6

low shedding, fairly layed back, and usually moderatly polite- they did learn a few basic manners at the racing kennel. You will need to teach them some household things like how to climb stairs and that glass sliding doors are solid. Ususally good with reasonably kind children ( good rescues do screen for the few who are not). They like a 5 minute run morning & evening but are usually content to lounge on the sofa the rest of the day and can adjust to just a leash walk if nessary. The biggest problem is they do have a built in strong prey drive,(or chase instint if you'd rather call it that) - they will chase fast moving objects and so should never be off leash outside of a fence - they can take off after a deer, rabbit or even a blowing piece of paper and never be seen again. Some are cat safe in the house, some are not (rescues screen for this if you need to know)- I wouldn't trust them in the yard with a cat.

Answer 7

Greyhounds are seriously probably the nicest, most laid back, caring dogs you can find. Although they have some serious medical issues down the road, and actually their life span is a little shorter than most dogs, but the years you get out of it before then should be awesome. I dont know what this special diet is, every greyhound we have come in just eats our regular clinic food, EN, so i dunno what that guy was talking about. Anyways hope that helps out a little bit.

Answer 8

Greyhounds,are athletic, kind, and very friendly. You'll have to retrain your dog though because it'll chase after little kittens, rabbits, hamsters, and small things because they think it is the lure on the racetrack. So retrain it first. Also, they need daily walks, so if you're very busy with your job, I wouldn't suggest it. But if you're up for doing those things, greyhounds are great pets!

Answer 9

They make wonderful pets. Usually these dogs have been fostered for a while before being adopted into homes, so the person who as been caring for them call tell you about their temperment and such. They really deserve a home and being loved after what they are put through and the way they are treated when racing.

Answer 10

They are meant to be really good pets as long as there are no small pets or dogs around too,especially if they have been racing dogs!!