Click on any of the photos to enlarge them.
Hi
If you want to meet people when you’re out on a walk with a dog, there is no other dog I know of that gets the amount of attention a greyhound does. Everywhere you go people point and stare and hope you pass by them so they can ask questions or find out more about this gorgeous creature. As the fastest dog on the planet and the 2nd fastest accelerating land animal on the planet, people are always curious about this regal breed that can attain a speed of 45 mph from a standing start its first 3 strides. What allows the greyhound to reach that type of acceleration, is its lean but extremely muscular build, biggest heart, and greatest area of fast-twitch muscle associated with any breed as well as the double suspension gallop and also the extreme versatility of the spine.
Walking one of these “lightning bolts on a leash” is like walking with a celebrity, almost everyone you meet wants to know more about them and for most it is the first time they have actually had a chance to see one up close and personal. Common remarks are; they’re so soft or they’re so gentle and placid.
Some people ask about the tattoos in the ex racing greyhound’s ears. There are 2 numbers, one in each ear. One is the track number, the other is the year they were born and the order in the litter. With these, you will find the whole pedigree all the way back to the end of the 1800’s. Some people say the number does not prove birth order as most owners do not mark them in order. I don’t know, maybe some do and some don’t. In any event, to find that dogs pedigree, log on to http://www.greyhound-data.com, type in the number and presto…there it is!
Another question I hear from people is about the size of the greyhound’s heart…a greyhound’s heart weight ranges from 1.18 to 1.73% of their body weight, which is higher than an elite racehorse at 1.0-1.3% of its body weight. Other types of dogs have a heart weight equal to 0.77% of their body weight, and compare those to 0.5% for humans. So you can see the greyhound has the highest blood volume of any athlete, relative to its body size. All this means that the Greyhound heart is not only larger and more efficient than any other dog’s, but outperforms that of a thoroughbred racehorse.
One other thing I am asked frequently and something that is very important to some people deals with dog odor. Well, due to incredibly small sebaceous glands, the short hair and very low body fat, Greyhound’s exude little or no characteristic “doggy odor”. You can have three or four greyhounds in your home and not notice them near as much as you will that one Lab or Shepard, Doberman, etc. This also transforms into more domestic tranquility as greyhound’s are very affectionate dogs towards those that they know and trust. For centuries different greyhounds have been allowed to hunt and race together, so aggressiveness towards other dogs and people has been almost totally eliminated from the breed. This also means that owning several Greyhounds can be a calmer experience than having those breeds listed above (and many others) that will engage in continuous “pecking” as puppies.
Look closely and you can see the ear tattoo
1) Greyhound racing is a humane, fun and harmless sport.
2) Racing greyhounds are prized athletes that receive the best of care. We treat our greyhounds better than most people treat their pets.
3) Cases of abuse and killing of racing greyhounds are rare isolated incidents.
4) Critics of the dog racing industry are wacko animal rights extremists who are opposed to the use of animals for any purpose.
5) Humane Societies euthanize thousands of unwanted dogs.
6) We would not have to euthanize greyhounds if more people would adopt them.
7) Racing greyhounds would not run if they were not well cared for.
8) Greyhound racing is a highly regulated sport with high standards of animal care.
1) The business of greyhound racing is responsible for the death of thousands upon thousands of greyhounds every year.
2) Greyhound adoption organizations routinely receive racing dogs riddled with external and internal parasites, open sores and untreated broken bones. Many are also covered with scars.
3) Over the last two decades, hundreds of cases of abuse have been documented including greyhounds that were shot, starved, electrocuted and sold for research. Industry insiders report that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
4) This statement is merely a public relations ploy designed to marginalize industry critics. The killing and abuse of greyhounds is a mainstream issue that has been taken to heart by the American public. Opposition to industry practices has been publicly stated in newspaper editorials, by government officials and mainstream animal welfare organizations.
5) Humane Societies do not breed dogs; make money off of them; kill them. Then repeat the cycle.
6) It is not the responsibility of private charities like adoption organizations or the American public to white wash the image of the dog racing industry.
7) Running is instinctual for greyhounds. In fact, it is not uncommon for a greyhound to finish a race in spite of having suffered a serious injury.
8) In most states, dog racing regulations are essentially concerned with gambling rules; breeding and training farm operations are virtually unregulated.
Many greyhound puppies and youngsters are judged to be of inferior racing quality at birth or during the farm training process. Many owners elect not to continue investing in dogs that demonstrate little potential of making money; the vast majority of those dogs are destroyed on the farm before they ever start a racing career. In recent years the yearly disappearance of thousands of puppies is explained away by the industry spokesperson as death from “natural causes”. However, this same spokesperson admitted in an interview that puppies were, in fact, destroyed on the farms. Industry insiders confirm that large numbers of pups are destroyed. Young greyhounds that do show promise are individually registered and named before going to a track at about 18 months.
In the tenth century, King Howel of Wales declared that the penalty for killing a greyhound was the same as that of killing a person, death. In the days of the Egyptians, greyhounds were valued by the pharaohs for their grace, beauty and mild temperament. But in the 21st century, greyhounds in the racing world are prized for only one thing…speed. Every year thousands of greyhounds are killed in various inhumane ways simply because they are not fast enough.
It’s an industry that exists solely for the entertainment of humans at the cost of animal lives.
Because greyhound racing has little to do with dogs and everything to do with money, scant regard is given to the humane treatment of the greyhounds. This is an industry that places profits above the health and welfare of greyhounds, how else would you explain the culling of unwanted dogs, a general disregard toward animal injury, and the inhumane living conditions that the majority of the dogs endure?
Greyhounds are at a disadvantage even before they are born. Tens of thousands of greyhounds are bred annually, many more than are needed to race, in an attempt to create the fastest dogs. The greyhounds are then “weeded out “killed” if they are at any time determined unable to become racetrack stars.
“From the time they are born, they are judged for their racing ability,” says Laura Bevan, director of the Southeast Regional Office of The HSUS. “As puppies they may be killed, or culled, if they don’t have potential to be good racers. After that, any injury or slow down of speed can mean death. The dogs are a commercial product, and once it is determined that they don’t have value as a racer at a track, their days are numbered.”
Throughout their racing career, the dogs routinely endure inhumane conditions and have little human contact. Many greyhound farms are barely getting by financially, so the dogs are kept caged most of the time and fed low quality foods. Each dog is a major expense, which is why so many are killed in various, inhumane, ways when they are deemed unfit to race.
Please consider adopting a greyhound. So many are waiting for someone like you and me to save their lives. And if adoption is not an option for you right now, they are always in need of people who are willing to foster. In fact, there are many ways you can help, so please do. Join the fight to stop the racing and subsequent killing of these precious greyhounds.
As some of you may have heard, we boarded our two greyhound boys Vladimir and Vitali on the 19th and 20th of October while we went out of town to St. Louis Mo. for a NLCS playoff game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants. The game was on Friday night, so we dropped the boys off at their vets to stay Friday and Saturday night. We were told there would be someone there between 07:00 AM and 08:00 AM Sunday so we could pick them up, I later received a voice mail on my cell phone from a lady named Megan saying we had to pick them up between 07:30 AM and 08:00 AM.
We arrived at the vet to pick them up Sunday morning at approx 07:50 AM and the person there let us in the back door, the first thing I noticed when walking into the room was both of their dog beds lying on the floor in a common area. While the person there went to get their leashes, I went into one of the areas where I heard dogs barking and noticed the boys standing in an enclosure that was a bare, wet concrete floor. As the lighting was not all that great I could not make out much more than that or see the condition they were in, even as they were led into the common area it was hard to notice as all they wanted to do was get outside. I took the leashes and took them outside and they both had gotten no more than a few feet out the door when they started to urinate.
Once outside in the sunlight we could see their coats were stained yellow on their bellies, back, sides, legs and their tails looked like they had soaked in urine, there were also traces of feces on their bellies and feet, they also had what appeared to be “urine burns” on their feet and urine stained, raw looking abrasions of the elbows. The pictures here do not convey how terrible this looked in person, but you should be able to get the idea.
We were told later that the person in charge of them those two nights said she had taken them out three times Saturday and they were fine, that they apparently got in the condition they were in when we picked them up from the last time she had them out Saturday until we picked them up at ten minutes till eight Sunday morning. We told them that was not at all believable and they told us, we believe our employee.
My personal opinion is that they were totally neglected those two days, they were not taken out at all. That they were left to urinate on themselves and lie in it when they were so tired they could not stand up anymore. I believe they were traumatized by this experience to the point where the first few days we had them home, they wanted no part of being around my truck, especially if I opened the door…they would pull away, maybe they thought I might be taking them back? Before this incident they always got excited when we went toward the truck and if the door opened, they wanted in. Hopefully, they will get back to that soon.
We’ve been using a “Lincocin” topical on their elbows since we’ve had them home along with an antibiotic cream and the elbows are starting to look again like they did before we left them with the people who were supposed to be caring for them.
We provided beds for each of our boys, but as stated earlier in this post, they were never given to them to lie on, the beds were simply taken to the back and tossed on the floor and stayed there until we picked them up. This ordeal has upset my wife and I to no end, to think that someone you trust with your pets health and well being can let someone in their employ treat animals in this way is beyond reprehensible and to make matters worse, they tried to blame us for their condition by saying we should have paid them to have them bathed before we picked them up. To me that is such an asinine statement, I’m not going to even comment any further on it.
I am posting some photos taken shortly before their stay, followed by photos we took immediately after picking them up. This is neglect, pure and simple and I would not want to see this happen to anyone else’s pets…but this was especially harmful to greyhounds who are so clean by nature and have such thin skin.
Hi
A couple of weeks ago while out on our morning walk through our back yard, we happened upon….. a snake. The boys had stopped all of a sudden to smell the ground and it was then that I noticed, about 4 feet in front of us, a black snake about 2 1/2 to 3 ft long. As I stood there watching it, the snake raised it’s head few inches off the ground and turned around to look at us. It was this movement that got the dogs attention, first Vlad, then Vitali.
Vlad appeared to be curious and showed no sign of distress, but Vitali went completely bonkers, as soon as he locked eyes on it he started to rear up like a wild horse being broken in those cowboy movies. He bucked and twisted and was hopping all over the place on his hind legs and making the most awful screams, yelps and other vocalizations I have ever heard come out of the mouth of any living creature. During the entire time, the snake did nothing except flick his tongue and follow us with his head, otherwise he did not move.
I took both of the boys away from there and brought them back into the house, where Vitali was still visibly shaking, bottom jaw quivering, so I stayed with him and comforted him awhile. A little later I went back out to the same spot and the snake was still there, (maybe had moved a few feet) so I, with the help of a branch prodded it back into the woody area bordering the property where I assume it came from. I did, however, sprinkle some snake repellent pellets along the border a day or so later hoping it would choose another path from now on and so far have not seen it again.
Sometimes when out for a walk, the boys will see a stick on the ground and approach it very cautiously, ready to react if it should move.
I have a little movie posted in the video section about their encounter with a turtle. I guess, for them, it’s a reptile thing.
If you have had thoughts lately about pet adoption and possibly bringing a Greyhound into your family, then this post might help you to understand the breed a little more and help you decide if they would be the pet for you. The question often asked is “Do Greyhounds make good pets?” Hopefully you will find the answer to this question in our look at this marvelous animal. Greyhounds have many great qualities as a pet, they are very easygoing, intelligent, sensitive to other dogs and to humans, very loyal to their owners, brave and have an incredible lust and devotion to life in general. This dog learns quickly and has a lot of respect for its owner and other members of the household – being very loving towards children and not over-forceful with them.
Greyhounds are “sight hounds” and are able to see something as small as a squirrel from up to a half mile away. They are also, without question, the fastest dogs on earth, reaching top speeds of over 45 miles per hour in under four seconds. Don’t let this impressive fact fool you though, Greyhounds are generally considered by their owners to be gentle, 45 mile per hour couch potatoes. They thoroughly enjoy being “slackers” and are never high strung or hyper, and they rarely allow any other animals to get their goat. Cool as the other side of the pillow, these sprinters are happy with as little as a 20 minute walk each day as the proper amount of exercise. You can also read through some of the previous posts made here and come to a decision if this wonderful breed is the one you want to share your life with. To me, it’s a no brainer…they are very calm & collected, they are the super models of the dog world and get lots of attention wherever they go, they do not smell like other dogs, do not eat a lot for their size and rarely ever bark.
Greyhounds are bred for speed, health, intelligence, and sociability. This combination makes them excellent house pets. They are, as mentioned above, clean and odor free, indoor dogs that don’t eat a lot nor require extensive exercise. They are very quiet dogs and will spend much of their time sleeping. They are very content to follow you around wherever you go and love to go for car rides.
Greyhounds live to be about 12-15 years old, barring any accidents or illness. Racing Greyhounds are bred for health and speed and as such are not predisposed to genetic disorders like blindness, deafness, hip dysplasia, etc.
While not all greyhounds suffer from separation anxiety, a greyhound has been raised in a busy kennel and racing environment that requires extensive handling and they crave human company. Some greyhounds may get nervous and afraid if left alone. A greyhound must learn by experience that you will return, and that being alone in the house is safe. Not every dog suffers when left alone for short periods of time, and your dog may never have any problems, but it does show up with some greyhounds and you should be aware of it so if it does arise you will be prepared.
If you have an interest in adopting a greyhound as a pet, you’ll find that there are a great many devoted fans of the breed who have done an amazing amount of work to save, nurture, and re-acclimate these stunning dogs for the retired life in your home. They are not big chewers, and they will most likely doze peacefully on the sofa while you go about your day away, greeting you drowsily when you return. Your male will be tall, at about 28 to 30 inches at the withers, and usually weigh 70 to 85 pounds. Females, a bit smaller, will measure around 26 to 28 inches and are usually in the 55 to 70 pound range. These size ranges can vary somewhat as there are some instances of “large females and small males” that will occasionally fall outside their normal size range.
In my personal experience, looking into the eyes of a Greyhound is like looking into an “old soul”, there is just something special there that is hard to explain. You need to experience it for yourself!
Greyhounds are absolutely gorgeous dogs that are well known for their ability to race. As the second fastest land animal on the planet, they are revered… as long as they can run. When they cannot, they are simply disposed of in whatever way the trainer sees fit. This means that many are abandoned or put down. As a result, greyhound dog rescue is incredibly important and something that more people should be educated about.
Greyhound dog rescue is a niche area because there are a number of groups that are dedicated to rescuing greyhounds. A few dogs are treated well whilst in racing service, but the vast majority are not. They are forced to almost continuously wear muzzles, are pulled and jerked around and are often claustrophobic after finding themselves in small cages for hours on end on a daily basis. The owners and trainers that do treat them well tend to find good homes for them when they are retired, unfortunately the vast majority do not.
Greyhounds are often abandoned or put down as soon as they are injured or cannot race. This means that they may be abandoned and actually wander around a strange environment until found, if they are lucky. However, there are a number of greyhound specific dog rescue groups that cater to greyhounds exclusively and do their best to find them new homes that they can settle into. The more people that adopt them, the more openings there are so other greyhounds can be rescued and rehomed.
Greyhounds are wondrous creatures and make excellent family pets, which makes dog rescue all the more important for them. They are really placid, loving and very low maintenance because they enjoy their own space. If anyone is looking to dog rescue for his or her next pet, look for a greyhound! It is very rewarding and satisfying to know that someone cares for them and gives them the attention and love they deserved but went without for the first few years of their lives.
Greyhounds are as fast as they are smart, as wise as they are loving. Outdoors, it is a thrill to watch this dog run at full stretch. In short bursts, the greyhound can accelerate to over 60 ft per second within 4 or 5 strides or around 45 mph. The only other land animal that can accelerate faster over a short distance is the Cheetah
Indoors, he becomes a quiet and dignified family member, expecting hugs and petting from his family. Greyhounds are very affectionate, but will not overly dote on you. The Greyhound’s gentle nature makes him a good children’s dog.
Wow, what a wonderful turnout we had today for our monthly Meet & Greet at the Petco store in Carbondale, Il.
There were 20 hounds in attendance and they were all being their usual gorgeous selves and showing everyone why they make such outstanding additions to a household. It was an absolutely beautiful day and the dogs were busy greeting people both in and out of the store. It’s such a treat to see the little kids pet and play with these gentle souls. We also got to see “Taco” and her human Keith, she is such a sweetheart and Keith relayed to us how adopting her was the absolute right thing to do and is the perfect dog for him.
I could go on and on, but I’ll let you off easy and just post some pics for you!
Greyhounds are a breed of canine that happen to be slim, tall, very muscular and elegant-looking which have short hair and are available in colors of fawn, brindle, black, white, red, or grey and many combinations of those colors. With the ongoing help of rescue groups and dedicated volunteers, they are turning out to be unique and wonderful household pets. There are lots of amazing characteristics about greyhounds that make them appealing to pet owners.
Beneficial temperament
Greyhounds are very polite, gentle, sweet and loving dogs. They are really not recognized to possess any aggression concerns, which make them beneficial around any individual in your household including, other family pets, young children as well as the elderly. Owners really should socialize these dogs to prevent any timidity and fearfulness in to the future. With suitable training and proper care, greyhounds will turn out to be the dream household dog.
Do not require much physical exercise
Considering that greyhounds are bred for running, some people assume that they need several hours of physical exercise to discharge their energy. However, greyhounds only need to be walked a few times per week, like most other dogs. Permitting them to run around inside a fenced yard will probably be plenty of exercise for them. Just do not forget that greyhounds have to be on the leash when not in a fenced area because they can be prone to chasing smaller creatures. Indoors, greyhounds are often known as couch potatoes and therefore are not as hyperactive as you would possibly think.
Adaptable to any indoor setting
An incredible thing about greyhounds is the fact that they are able to adapt to any setting. You’ll be able to place these dogs in a major home or even a little apartment and they will do very well. These dogs are very sensitive to pressure, so it is important to keep their setting free of stress, which includes heated arguments or fights. As long as they are in a peaceful and loving environment, these dogs will thrive in almost any indoor setting. An added bonus is the fact that greyhounds usually do not bark often, so they are ideal to have around even if you have close-by neighbors.
Easy to groom
Grooming for canines can turn out to be a demanding job for home owners. Luckily, greyhounds, as a result of their short hair, tend not to have to have day-to-day grooming. These canines have one coat of hair, which means that they do not shed much and have little to no “doggy odor”. This can minimize the volume of work that house owners need to place in to their dogs. A bath every 6 to 12 months is sufficient to keep your greyhound clean and smelling fresh. (Try that with most other breeds and I guarantee your house will smell like an outhouse)
All round, greyhound puppies can make ideal companions for you personally and any fellow member of your respective household. These canines are incredible pets who have wonderful personalities to match their elegant looks. If these very good characteristics fit everything you want in a canine, then the greyhound would be the perfect addition to your home!
Saturday 2/25/12 was our monthly rescued greyhound get together, also called a “Meet & Greet” at the Cape Girardeau, Mo. Petco location.
We use these Meet & Greets to familiarize people with what rescued greyhounds are like by making our own rescued and adopted dogs available for people to get acquainted with. The people, especially the kids, love it…and so do the greyhounds. The dogs are absolutely thrilled to see their “greyt” friends (other greyhounds) when they arrive and are also delighted and want to meet everyone else who comes in the door. They just cannot get enough of meeting new people!
We had a good turn out with 6 GPA members and 9 greys in attendance. There seemed to be a lot of serious interest in our program and many people picked up information in order to do their homework on what we’re all about and what these wonderful dogs have to offer. Our next M & G will be at the Carbondale, Il. Petco from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on March 10th.
Below are some photos from the 2/25/12 event…enjoy!
Unknown Feed
Planet Greyhound 
You must be logged in to post a comment.