By Jay, from The Depp Effect

Every year, thousands of greyhounds retire from racing.  Luckily for them, more and more people are realizing what great pets they can make.

The most cat-like of all dog breeds, these are easy dogs to care for.  They are sprinters with only a short burst of energy at their disposal, so they don’t need hours of walking – twenty minutes twice a day will do, and then they’ll most likely rest quietly for hours on end.

Greyhounds have a short, non-oily coat and are often thought of as ‘low-allergen’ dogs.  Their fur is soft and fine, they shed less than most breeds, and need minimal grooming.

Questions?

How old are they when they retire?

Most are between three and five years old when they retire.  Some get rejected as pups because they aren’t fast enough or won’t chase, so they retire early.  Some go on to be brood mothers or stud dogs and retire later.

What can I expect when I bring a new greyhound home?

It depends whether they come straight from the racing kennel or they’ve been fostered in someone’s home.  Dogs who’ve been fostered are more than halfway to becoming a great pet already, whereas dogs coming straight from the kennel will need some help getting used to living in a house.  They won’t understand glass doors, stairs, or slippery floors.  They may be freaked out by vacuum cleaners, washing machines, televisions, and children, and may never have seen a bus or cycle.  However, most of them quickly adapt with gentle handling and patience.

One important thing to remember is that newly retired greyhounds are unlikely to have been left alone, ever.  They are born and raised in a kennel and they spend their working lives in the constant company of other dogs, so when they retire, most will need some degree of ‘alone’ training before they are happy to be left on their own for more than a few minutes.

What kind of health problems can I expect?

Greyhounds are pretty healthy dogs but they do have one or two little medical quirks.  Thin-skinned, with little or no subcutaneous fat, they can suffer badly from extremes of heat and cold.  And that thin skin can tear easily, so they are more vulnerable to cuts and scrapes.

Their blood chemistry is different to other breeds, too, and they are extra sensitive to some anesthetic agents, drugs, and pesticides, but this isn’t a huge problem, your vet should already know about these.

They have very few genetic diseases, though the American lines seem to have a high incidence of osteo-sarcoma, a form of bone cancer.  Treatments are available, and research is continuing, but it’s something to be aware of.

Since greyhounds are a deep-chested breed, new owners will need to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of bloat, or gastric torsion.  It’s rare, but when it happens it is a medical emergency and there is no first aid option.  Affected dogs need to see a vet immediately.

Apart from that, you can just expect the usual kind of doggy issues.

What about behavior and training?

Being hounds, ex-racers may need a different approach to training.  Greyhounds are independent and can seem stubborn if you’re used to a ‘people-pleaser’ breed like a retriever or collie, but clicker training works really well, and all you need is plenty of patience and understanding.

The biggest issue with greyhounds is that they’ve been bred for thousands of years to hunt small animals.  You should bear in mind that this was pretty much their job when racing, too, although at the track they chase an artificial lure.  So, most will need careful introduction to small furry creatures, because it’s instinctive for them to chase and kill animals such as rabbits, squirrels, and possibly cats – and some even need to be persuaded that other breeds of dog can be friends.

Having said that, it is possible to socialize greyhounds, and many live happily alongside rabbits, chickens, cats, ferrets and other pets.  However, there are those who cannot.

Whether or not they are safe with smaller animals, greyhounds are a very gentle and reliable breed with people.  They are well used to being handled at the track, and some go on to become therapy dogs, visiting folk in hospitals and care homes, providing comfort and non-judgemental love.

There are always young, healthy greyhounds needing homes.  But don’t adopt a greyhound because you feel sorry for him and want to rescue an ‘abused’ animal.  Greyhounds actually love to race.   Adopt a greyhound if you truly think he will fit your lifestyle and you believe you can provide for his needs.  These are gentle, sensitive dogs, and capable of great devotion.  If you do adopt one, you’ll be rewarded with a faithful and very loving companion.

Resources:

http://www.greytalk.com – a forum for the owners of the ex-racing greyhound.

http://dancinggreyhound.com.p11.hostingprod.com/no_fear_no_pain – a lecture by Kathleen Gilley on understanding the ex-racer.  Kathleen teaches these dogs to ‘dance’ and runs a dynamic off-lead display team.

‘Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies’ by Lee Livingood

‘Adopting the Racing Greyhound’ by Cynthia Branigan

Coren tested dogs with a modified version of a test used to measure language abilities in children.  Not surprisingly, he found the most intelligent breed to be the Border Collie, who can understand up to 250 words and hand signals.  Lowest on the intelligence list?  Older breeds such as the Afghan Hound, Basenji, Bull Dog, Chow Chow and Borzoi. 

Dog intelligence has increased as breeding has become more selective.  As an example, Coren states that if you point, a dog will usually look to where you are pointing.  A wolf that has been raised by humans will simply look at your pointing hand. 

Stanley Coren also reports that dogs dream about “day to day dog activities” just as people dream about daily life.  Smaller dogs are said to dream more than larger dogs. 

The Top Ten Smartest Dogs are as follows: 

• Border Collie
• Poodle
• German Shepherd
• Golden Retriever
• Doberman Pincher
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Labrador Retriever
• Papillon
• Rottwieler
• Australian Cattle Dog

Training

This little dog has a lot of attitude. Use positive training for positive results. The West Highland was originally used as a work dog, which has resulted in a dog with stamina.

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Training

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The Labrador Retriever is an excellent family dog and loves children. The Lab will protect the family and risk his life to save anyone in his pack. They have unconditional love and have an even temper with little aggression. This dog is sturdy, beautiful, tough as nails and full of love.

Your Labrador Retriever will be extremely unhappy stuck inside an apartment all day. This dog must have daily exercise with lots of running and retrieving. If your Labrador Retriever begins to run around the house, he is not getting enough exercise outdoors. This dog is best suited to an outdoor loving family who is happy to bring the dog on every adventure.

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Your Greyhound is sensitive to stress. If your household is stressful or without routine, the Greyhound is probably not for you. Additionally, if you have small animals, do not get a Greyhound. This dog is hard wired to chase small animals, and is faster than you when it comes to a race toward a cat, gerbil or guinea pig!

The Greyhound can be timid around strangers, so be sure to provide your Greyhound with socialization training. Your Greyhound, in a happy, calm home, will be peaceful, loving and and affectionate. An unsocialized Greyhound may be timid, and develop digestive problems simply from stress.

Training

A Greyhound can be trained, but will often assume the attitude of, “If I sit for you, what will I get out of it?” Consistent, LOVING training is best for this breed. The Greyhound can be manipulative and is definitely independent.

Exercise

Your Greyhound can run beautifully – and jump just as well. Keep your Greyhound in an area with a high fence.

Grooming

Health

With a history from the alpine regions, this dog does not do well in a hot climate. He is prone to heat stroke if left in excessive heat. Your Greater Swiss Mountain Dog will do best in a cooler climate. This breed loves his family and wants to be with the family. He especially loves the children, but remember to be careful with his size around small children.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a good watchdog and will bark a very loud woof when alarmed. He will most likely be friendly to strangers that are introduced by the family. This breed should learn from a puppy what the hierarchy is in the family. He should be trained not to chase the cat or other pets in the household, since he has an instinct to heard.

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Be careful not to feed your Golden Retriever too much and exercise him too little – this breed can put on weight easily. You can keep your Golden Retriever healthy and happy by training him and playing with him daily. This is an intelligent dog who does well in agility, hunting, narcotics detection and more. You can’t throw the ball enough for this dog, and he will never tire of being with you and playing with you.

This breed is not for you if you live in a small apartment with no place to run. The Golden Retriever thrives in the outdoors with lots of places to romp.

We received the following addition to our description of Golden Retrievers from one of our readers who owns these friendly dogs:

“You might want to mention that Goldens love surprises like new toys, and their memory is superior in that they seem to remember where they left their favorite ball or toy. They also like to play hide and seek, and love the praise given them when they find you. A simple athletic sock tied in a knot can keep the GR and you busy for hours. Brushing their teeth once a week helps keep their gums and teeth in great shape. Goldens love to chew on sticks so let them enjoy them. Above all else, show them the love that they give so willingly. Goldens do not hold grudges and seem to remember only the last treat that you gave them.”

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This breed is fast and loves to run. Many have been used successfully in agility training and flyball. A bit stubborn when they want to be, it is best to begin training your Dalmatian as a puppy. This breed will not do well in a small apartment with nowhere to run. The Dalmatian was bred to run, and needs plenty of room to exercise.

There is an old wives tale that says Dalmatians are “hyper” dogs. Just as any pup, a Dalmatian is very active up to about 2 years old. However, if your Dallie is given the opportunity to exercise daily, she will be happy, sweet and a wonderful family dog.

As owners of Dalmatians, we at StrongPets cannot quite explain what it is about this breed. But once you have one, you will never want to go back. They are clowns with big personalities. They are active, they are couch potatoes. They think they are human and are surprised when you don’t want them sitting at the table at dinnertime. This dog will love and protect your family – but be careful if a thief comes in with a big steak – the steak might temporarily win out!

Loveable, sweet, cuddly and playful. This is a fun, happy dog with a big heart – always enjoying a belly rub and always wiggling their hind quarters. You may have heard of the Dalmatian smile? Some Dals actually smile, which will send you into hysterics when you own one. A few smile when they are nervous, feeling silly or have done something they know they should not have done. However, some pounds who are not familiar with this breed will see a Dalmatian smile and think it is angry or bad, when in fact the dog is just nervous.

The popular Disney movie “101 Dalmatians” brought great interest to the Dalmatian, who was overbred and sold to many as cute “puppies.” There are many wonderful adult Dallies that need a home. If you love an active dog and love the outdoors, but also enjoy having a dog snuggled up next to you on the couch, consider a Dal. If you can’t find a local Dalmatian Rescue, these organizations can help. DOTS, or Dalmatian Overland Transport Service, can arrange to have your Dallie delivered to your home as well. Here are some wonderful Dalmatian rescue organizations:

Adopt A Spot – Virginia
Dal Pals Dalmatian Rescue – Carolinas and the South East
Dal Savers Dalmatian Rescue – Wisconsin and Illinois
Dalmatian Rescue, Inc. – South Florida
Dalmatian Rescue of the Carolinas – North and South Carolina
Southern Hope Dalmatians – Georgia

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These dogs are friendly, smart and cuddly. They love to be with their owners. If separated for extended periods of time, the Coton de Tulear may develop anxiety.

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