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Home > Contests, Photos & Fun > Pet Articles > Dog Breeds > Greyhound Rescue
Home > Contests, Photos & Fun > Pet Breed Info Links, Rescue Links > Dog Breed & Rescue Information > Greyhound > Greyhound Rescue
 | Greyhound Rescue
There is an ongoing tragedy unfolding at dog-racing tracks around the world. Racing Greyhounds typically have a career that lasts until they are anywhere from two to five years old. After that the dog is of no further use to its owners, and is usually euthanized. A Greyhound has an average life expectancy of 12-15 years, so these dogs are put down long before half of their natural life span.
The tragedy is compounded by the fact that Greyhounds in many ways make ideal pets. They rarely bark. They have been bred to be even-tempered and gentle, and they tend to be affectionate, loyal, and sweet.
Fortunately there are many organizations, often run by volunteers, who rescue these doomed animals and try to match them with good adopting families. Log on to Google and search for “Greyhound rescue” to find an agency near you. Even if there is no Greyhound racing in your area, you will probably find dogs needing someone to adopt them. For instance, an organization in Canada called Chinook Winds rescues most of its dogs from Arizona.
A Greyhound is not for everyone. They make poor guard dogs, because they are friendly, trusting, and quiet. Greyhounds are possibly the oldest breed of dog in the world. They were bred as hunting dogs able to outrun their prey. They hunted in packs, which made the transition to racing easier. Because they had to race with strange dogs and be handled by various people, aggression toward dogs and people has been almost completely bred out of them.
Greyhounds need a little bit of special care. They cannot ever be allowed off of a leash outside of a fully fenced area. They are indoor dogs, with short fur and no undercoat, and almost no body fat. If it’s cool enough that you need a jacket, your Greyhound will need a jacket too. They also don’t tolerate heat well, so make sure you provide shade and plenty of water in the yard.
Greyhounds, due to their low body fat, don’t like sleeping on hard surfaces. You should provide a good thick blanket or pillow. They tend to be pretty healthy, but if your dog gets sick, make sure you find a vet experienced with the breed. Their physiology is unusual for dogs. For instance, Greyhounds have more red blood cells than most breeds, which can lead to mis-diagnosis with an inexperienced vet.
Don’t worry that your Greyhound will be a fireball of energy, or will need a tremendous amount of exercise. A good walk of 30 to 60 minutes each day will be plenty. The rest of the time you can expect to find your dog curled up and drowsing on a cushion.
When you first get a retired racing dog, you can expect a companion who will be friendly, if somewhat aloof, ready to adopt you into his “pack”. He will be accustomed to living in a crate or a very small kennel, so a house or apartment will seem palatial. He will be “crate-broken”, trained not to mess his crate. You will have to teach him that the whole house is his new crate. Let him out every few hours, and if he has an accident, just scold him sternly. Greyhounds are intelligent and eager to please, so housebreaking should be simple and quick.
If you are looking for a quiet, loyal, gentle dog, and a dog that really needs you, a Greyhound may be the dog for you.
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