Tell me about greyhounds!?

Question

Tell me about this breed! All you know. We might get one and I would like to know what their personalities, bahaviors, etc, are like.

Answer 1

Wow... I could write pages about greyhounds... but instead I'll reference you to some of the best places to get retired racing greyhound information.

http://www.greyhoundclubofamerica.org/
http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/
http://www.goinghomegreyhounds.org/

basically they're very loving and great pets but they can never be left off lead because of their prey drive... if they see a bunny, kitty, or any small animal they can disappear and never be seen again...

Answer 2

They can never be let off leash outside because once they see something interesting, they take off after it. They can run up to 40 miles per hour. All of the ones I have met were sweethearts, but some training will be required. On the track they are not used to stairs, windows, clear sliding glass doors, etc. There will be some socialization required on your part. The adoption group you get it from will (or should anyway...if it's reputable) test it with children, dogs, cats, small animals, etc. The adoption group should also go through everything with you when they do a homecheck and answer any questions you have. I used to foster greyhounds directly off the track.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Hi! I am a greyhound adoption volunteer and foster parent. My family currently has three of our own dogs and a four year old skin kid. We live in an urban area (we're in a condo) and have a fairly large network of greyt friends in the area. Some of our friends live happily with cats. Some are happy being 'only' dogs. We have a playgroup that meets at a local dog park a couple of times a month, but many/most of the greys in our area get the majority of their excersise through leash walking.

Retired racing greyhounds are very low energy, low maintenance dogs. They have been nicknamed the '45mph couch potato' because they sleep 18-20 hours per day. Greys are sprinters - they have short bursts of energy and then they need to recuperate. The are a single coated short-haired breed who shed minimally(usually only seasonally). This means that they need coats in winter if you are in an area that gets cold. This also means that they cannot live outdoors.Greys are very quiet, they rarely bark.

Racing greyhounds are usually retired between 2-5 years of age. Greys are handled every day of their lives, from farm to training facility to racetrack so they are very docile, submissive dogs. A retired racer will always look to humans for leadership. They are taught leash manners and are easy to walk. They are crate trained, which translates very well into housebreaking. Contrary to popular belief the majority of racing greyhounds are treated very well during their careers (I can send you photos of a recent birthday party held in a racing kennel for one of the pups) and the majority (95-97%) retire to either the breeding shed or as pets. There are many adoption groups across the country who are working hard to make that number 100% in the near future.

Bringing a greyhound into your home can present some challenges. A dog coming straight from a track may never have seen mirrors, hardwood floors or stairs before. They have never had people touch them while they are asleep, and they never had any humans or dogs disturb them while they eat. They also may never have met other breeds of dogs. Most dogs adapt very well to living in a home and do it in a very short period of time.

Greyhounds are sighthounds. They can see a rabbit 1/2 mile away - and they were bred to be fast enough to catch that rabbit. For this reason they cannot be off leash unless they are in a fenced enclosure. When something (squirrel, rabbit, cat, plastic bag blowing in the wind) catches their eye they often react instinctually, even with the best of obedience training. Because they move so fast (45mph) very often a loose greyhound is a dead greyhound. They also do not do well on runs or retractable leashes - greys have broken their neck by trying to take off and being stopped. Their rate of acceleration is really awesome.

As to health problems, it is not true that they have hip problems. In fact greyhounds are the only large breed that does not suffer from hip dysplasia. This is because they have been bred exclusively for competition, not for looks. Musculo-skeletar imperfectsion DO NOT get bred on period. They also have a longer lifespan than many other large breeds, averaging 12-14 years. Some dogs retire with injuries and these dogs may be prone to arthritis as they age, but your adoption group would be able to tell you about specific problems that may come with the dog you acquire. It is true that greyhounds (and all sighthounds) are susceptible to complications from anasthesia. This is because there low body fat ratio means that when the anasthesia has been applied it effects them much sooner and they don't need as much as your average breed.


For more information about the breed, or to find an adoption group in your area check out http://www.greyhoundpets.org . If you want more specific information please feel free to e-mail me. You can also check out http://www.greytalk.com the world's largest internet forum for greyhound people.

Answer 4

Your greyhound must also live in the house with you. We adopted one and she a sweet, calm, loving, funny lady! It did take a short time for her to adjust to living in a house, but she loves it. She's very careful , walking around things. Oh..greyhounds hardly ever bark! She doesn't shed, chew, or have that doggy odor.

Answer 5

They are great dogs, laid back personality in relation to people but high energy! They absolutely have a need to run and have been known to become psychologically disturbed if they deprived of it. Greyhounds are sight hounds and will chase what moves. If you get one, go to a track and adopt one. They are all too frequently put to sleep after their "usefulness' has been spent (around 2 years old).

Answer 6

Check out this story on adopting greyhounds -- it has lots of great links.

Good luck -- greyhounds are wonderful pets!

http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fewhours/greyhound-rescue.htm

Answer 7

Personality-wise they are great. They have very thin skin literally. Don't plan on ever putting a flea collar on it...it is toxic to this breed and will result in the dog's death.

Answer 8

Amber gave you an excellent answer. Listen to her.

Answer 9

the can fast as hell and listen to their masters