Frequently Asked Questions
About Greyhounds
- 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".
- 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.
- How old are the retired racers, and what is their life
expectancy?
- Greyhounds placed through the GPA adoption program 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. GPA also places dogs from local animal shelters, or from
families who can no longer keep their dog. Retired greyhounds enjoy many
years of good health. With proper care, they have a life expectancy of twelve
years or more.
- 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.
- How will my new greyhound behave at first?
- A greyhound coming into your home will be puppy-like, curious,
and affectionate. It may initially display some anxiety due to the new
environment. Pacing, excessive drinking, panting are all symptoms. Your
new dog may experience separation anxiety at being left alone initially. Your
GPA Placement Representative will help you should this occur. Since it is
experiencing freedom from the discipline of the racing kennel, it may need
to act out some puppy behavior, like chewing. It typically will quickly
outgrow this.
- Your greyhound is anxious to please and can be trained to standard
obedience commands with patience and consistency. It is used to a leash,
loves to walk and will learn to heel quickly. Everything about a home is
brand new to retired greyhounds, but they are fast learners. Your
greyhound's foster home has taught him some things about stairs, windows,
mirrors, cars, and televisions. But to be on the safe side you may want to put
stickers on your sliding glass door so your dog knows it is a barrier.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Are greyhounds good with children?
- More so than most breeds. Many racetrack trainers bring their
children
to work, so the dogs frequently have been exposed to children of all ages.
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.
- 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.
- Do greyhounds shed?
- Greyhounds shed very little. Their coats are short and sleek and they
stay sweet-smelling for long periods between baths.
- How do track (NGA) and show (AKC) 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.
- Why are greyhounds at get-togethers often 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. At the same time, don't let a muzzle
lull you into a false sense of security. You must still monitor a group of
muzzled greyhounds since it's possible to catch ears through a muzzle.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. Your
veterinarian can call your GPA representative for further information.
greyhounds are the only large breed of dog not plagued by hip dysplasia.
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