Adopting an Ex-Racing Greyhound
Greyhounds are not only the fasted dogs on earth, they also make
wonderful pets. They truly deserve a good home when their racing
career is over. We encourage everyone who is looking for a greyt
companion to adopt a retired racer.
This adoption listing was created in cooperation with
the
Greyhound Retired Database
Things you should consider before you adopt a greyhound
Should you be getting a dog?
Before you go any further, you need to give serious thought to
whether or not you are ready for the responsibility of any dog.
Please consider the following:
Is your job secure?Are you likely to be transferred?
Caught up in downsizing? Even if your job is secure, if you work
very long hours a cat might be better for you.
If you rent a house or apartment, are you positive having a
dog is allowed?
If its allowed is there a size/weight limit of the dog?
Is your marriage/relationship on solid ground?
This is a tough question but for the sake of the animal you must
ask it yourself. Adoption agencies and animal shelters are full of
pets who are the unwitting victims of divorce.
How old are you?
If you are either on the younger side or the older side, there
are some things you should think about:
For those in their late teens, you are in an age when your life can
take many unpacked turns. You may decide on college, or traveling or
start a family owning a dog might prevent you from pursuing some of
your dreams. For those in their seventies, now that you retired, a
dog can be a wonderful addition to your life. If you are senior and
decide to get a dog you should not get a too young one. Many pets
over the age of six are in excellent health, need less exercise, and
are already well-served with the ins and outs a being a good
companion.
How are you fixed financially?
The fee for adopting a Greyhound is nothing compared to the lifetime
of expenses you will incur.
What a greyhound is, and what it isn't
Did you know that all purebred dogs were developed for a purpose?
Very few breeds (with the exception of many of the toy breeds) were
created to what we call a pet. Some were developed to serve a
purpose as guarding, herding or some specialized form of hunting.
The Greyhound's purpose was, and is, to run in packs after prey
ranging in size from rabbits to deer. With few exceptions Greyhounds
will not guard or protect and, while in pursuit, they will not come
if called. Most Greyhounds prefer not to swim, fetch or jump in the
air for a Frisbee - it just isn't in their genes. What is in their
genes is their size (large), their shape (aerodynamic) and their
instinct to run in cooperation with other Greyhounds. Combine this
with the chasing-reinforcement training that racing dogs receive in
their formative years, and you have a large, streamlined,
mild-mannered dog who can never be allowed off-lead in fenced areas.
Does this sound like the dog for you?
Why greyhounds cannot run loose
It is impossible to put to much emphasis on this point. There are
some people who adopt who think that their dog is somehow different
and can be trusted not to run away. Here are some facts that will
illustrate why allowing a Greyhound to run free is dangerous idea.
Greyhounds are among the fastest land mammals they run about twice
as fast as a human sprinter. Therefore catching a running Greyhound
is impossible.
Greyhounds have been bred for literally thousands of years for one
thing: speed. If you think an obedience course is enough to wipe out
eons of genetics and training, then you are deluding yourself and
risking your dogs life.
Greyhounds are companions, not guard dogs
If you are looking for a dog that will double duty as both a pet and
a protector perhaps you should investigate into other breeds.
Greyhounds are very
un-aggressive dogs (remember, they were created to cooperate) and
the vast majority of them will not even bark when they see a
stranger approaching the house.
