Click on any of the photos to enlarge them.
Today marks one year we have had Vladimir & Vitali as members of our family. They are wonderful boys and have brought so much joy into our lives and so much attention. Walking down the street with a greyhound is like walking with a celebrity, I’m serious, ask other greyhound owners, people are naturally drawn to them and most have never actually seen one close up. They are some truly amazing creatures, as gentle and loving as they are fast. They have made such a huge impact on our lives and helped further open our eyes to all of the greed and callousness of the industry they were born into.
We also became aware of the differences involving the groups who act as lifelines for these gentle creatures after they are no longer of use to the racing industry. Many of these groups say the are “neutral” when in fact, that’s just a word thrown out there to try to pacify both sides, most “neutral” groups are funded in part by the racing industry. In fact, if you’re looking at the big picture, what good is it to be “neutral”, what are you accomplishing, except helping to prolong the inevitable demise of this cruel, barbaric spectacle. How can you be “in the middle”, you either are for something or against it. The main focus of any greyhound rescue organization should be to put themselves out of business by getting racing banned in every state (and worldwide). If you’re not working toward that end, you are part of the problem (not the solution) as you are prolonging the killing and injuries and suffering of these magnificent animals. Even if your rescue adopts out more dogs than most, you are helping to keep the industry alive if you are going along with the program and keeping your mouth shut, thereby perpetuating the further breeding and culling of pups and other dogs deemed unfit for racing and putting countless others in harms way.
The Ten K9 Commandments..
1. My life is likely to last ten to fifteen years. Any separation from
you will be painful for me. Remember that when you obtain me.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Give me your trust – it’s cruicial for my well-being.
4. Don’t be angry at me for long, and don’t lock me up as punishment.
You have your work, your entertainment and your friends. I have
only you.
5. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I
understand your voice when it’s speaking to me.
6. Be aware of however you treat me, I’ll never forget it.
7. Remember before you hit me that I have teeth that could easily
crush the bones in your hands, but that I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, stubborn or lazy,
ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not
getting the right food, maybe I’ve been out in the sun or in the cold too
long, or perhaps my heart is getting old and weak.
9. Take care of me when I get old…..You too, will grow old.
10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: ‘I can’t bear to watch it’….Everything is easier for me if you are there.
Remember, I love you
The Greyhound is an extremely powerful and muscular dog. The breed has a long, slim tail and legs. The chest is narrow and deep, while the waist is extremely slender. The breed also has a long and narrow head, neck and muzzle giving the Greyhound an extremely aerodynamic body. They have large hearts, lungs and muscles required for its famous double suspension gallop and incredible bursts of speed. The ears of a greyhound fold flat against its neck when running, similar to the wings on a departing bird or plane.
Tall and lean, the Greyhound is the worlds fastest breed of dog. As a sight hound, the breed pursues game using its vision and speed. Today, however, the Greyhound primarily serves as a sweet and personable companion. The breed can be any color, including black, fawn and red, often combined with white or brindle markings. The Greyhound has been owned by many prominent figures in history, including President Rutherford B. Hayes and General George A. Custer.
The greyhound has his eyes well positioned at the sides of his head giving him a far wider field of view than other dogs (270 degrees versus 180 degrees.) They can actually see things that are behind them. They are sight hounds and can spot movement up to half a mile away.
Greyhound racing became popular in the 1920’s as the aerodynamic build and size of the breed allows them to be the fastest dogs in the world. The Greyhound can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds! Greyhounds are undoubtedly the best sprinters, not only in the dog world, but in any world, having the fastest acceleration of any land animal on earth, topped only by the Cheetah.
A Look Back
One of the most ancient breeds known to man, evidence of the Greyhound was first discovered in tomb carvings in Egypt dating back to 2900 B.C. Aristocracy and culture has always surrounded the Greyhound, and in early times, only royalty bred them. As hunters in England, they were used on practically all kinds of game from deer, stags and foxes, but the hare is the Greyhound’s natural quarry. In America, Greyhounds arrived with the Spanish explorers in the 1500s and were among the first dogs recorded at American dog shows.
Although the breed is extremely athletic and fast, they are surprisingly mellow. They are not as hyperactive as is commonly believed, nor do they require constant exercise. They are often referred to as 45 mile per hour couch potatoes. Greyhounds are one of the most common rescue breeds in the world, due to the fact that racetracks have in the past euthanized (killed) them in huge numbers after they are too old or slow to race any longer, or have been injured and are no longer profitable. This still happens, however thanks to the determination of many rescue organizations, the tracks and breeders are watched more closely and it has become increasingly tougher for them to get away with such wanton acts of violence toward this gentle breed.
Is A Greyhound Right For You?
Although a loving companion, the Greyhound possesses the typical independent spirit of the hound, so patient training is necessary. They enjoy the company of their families as well as other dogs. The breed’s short, smooth coat is easy to maintain. Due to the Greyhound’s athleticism, they need daily exercise, although a short walk a couple times a day will suffice. They should be kept on leash or in a fenced area due to their tendency to run and with their acceleration they would be a football field away before you could get a word out of your mouth. Many greyhounds have a definite prey instinct and some will chase anything that moves quickly. Due to this, some are not suitable to live with cats or other small animals. The breed, however, is a pack animal and is happiest when there are people or other large animals around for companionship. Greyhounds can vary in degrees of their ability to get along with smaller pets. Our two boys, Vladimir & Vitali have no problem at all with any of our cats, either the inside ones or the outside ones, nor have they ever caused an issue with our little parrot (sun conure) when it is out exploring in the house.
When thinking about adopting one of these magnificent creatures, you can pretty much put your order in for one that suits your lifestyle. Want an older one, you got it, want one that’s cat friendly, you got it, want a certain color, you can get it. There are so many that need loving homes, you can just about “special order” your grey just the way you want him/her.
Contact your local greyhound rescue organization and find out what they can do for you!
The Greyhound is a unique animal. They draw crowds and are the center of attention wherever you take them.
Greyhounds generally are not barkers, (which is beneficial in suburban and apartment environments,) and they are usually as friendly to strangers as they are with their own family.
The key to the speed of a Greyhound can be found in its light but muscular build, largest heart, and highest percentage of fast-twitch muscle of any breed, the double suspension gallop and the extreme flexibility of the spine. “Double suspension rotary gallop” describes the fastest running gait of the Greyhound in which all four feet are free from the ground in two phases, contracted and extended, during each full stride.
A running greyhound at full extension
In ancient times, to be presented with a Greyhound was considered the most prized gift one could receive. Persians believed that the Greyhound was permitted in the next world to give information and evidence about mankind. It was the Egyptians who first raced Greyhounds for sport in open fields with the wild hare as quarry and no rules of the game except speed. In the Early Kingdom, Greyhounds were considered to possess divine powers.
A very common misconception regarding Greyhounds is that they are hyperactive. In retired racing Greyhounds, this is usually not the case Greyhounds can live comfortably as apartment dogs, as they do not require much space and sleep close to 18 hours per day. In fact, due to their calm temperament and the amount of time they spend sleeping, Greyhounds actually make better “apartment dogs” than smaller, more active breeds.
The Greyhound is an ancient as the desert from which it sprung. For thousands of years they were the dog of choice by kings, queens, pharaohs, sheiks, and people of distinction. In early Arabian culture, the birth of a Greyhound was cause of great celebrations and second only in importance to the birth of a son. They were the only dogs permitted to share an Arab’s tent or ride atop his camel. They were also the only dog mentioned by name in the King James Version of the Bible.
Even though Greyhounds are large dogs, they can curl up in a remarkable small space. Some famous Greyhound fanciers were Cleopatra (the first lady of the Greyhound), Queen Elizabeth I, George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, and General George Custer.
Greyhounds are typically a healthy and long-lived breed, and hereditary illness is rare. Some Greyhounds have been known to develop esophageal achalasia, bloat (gastric torsion), and osteosarcoma. Because the Greyhound’s lean physique makes it ill-suited to sleeping on hard surfaces, owners of companion Greyhounds generally provide soft bedding; without bedding, Greyhounds are prone to develop painful skin sores.
Due to the unique physiology and anatomy of Greyhounds, a veterinarian who understands the issues relevant to the breed is generally needed when the dogs need treatment, particularly when anaesthesia is required. Greyhounds cannot metabolize barbiturate-based anesthesia as other breeds can because they have lower amounts of oxidative enzymes in their livers. Greyhounds demonstrate unusual blood chemistry, which can be misread by veterinarians not familiar with the breed; this can result in an incorrect diagnosis.
Greyhounds have higher levels of red blood cells than other breeds. Since red blood cells carry oxygen to the muscles, this higher level allows the hound to move larger quantities of oxygen faster from the lungs to the muscles. Greyhounds have lower levels of platelets than other breeds. Veterinary blood services often use Greyhounds as universal blood donors.
Greyhounds do not have undercoats and thus are less likely to trigger people’s dog allergies (they are sometimes incorrectly referred to as “hypoallergenic”). The lack of an undercoat, coupled with a general lack of body fat, also makes Greyhounds more susceptible to extreme temperatures; because of this, they must be housed inside.
These fleet-footed dogs are sight hounds. They can spot a moving object up to half a mile away. Their sprinting ability enables them to expend an enormous amount of energy in a short amount of time. They run at their fastest between 40 and 45 mph, making them the second fastest accelerating land animal on Earth, only behind the Cheetah. They can achieve that speed within their first three strides. Their ability to blend speed, coordination and strategy has made them great hunters. Like a forest of trees, Greyhounds are one of the earth’s valued treasures.
WHY ADOPT A GREYHOUND?
Because-
The day is drawing nearer that we will have to turn our foster greyhound girl Sunset over the the young man who will be giving her a forever home. This will be bittersweet as she has adapted well to our family and is a darling girl, and it’s impossible not to form an attachment to these wonderful “babies”. The whole idea though in taking on this task, was to prepare her for her forever home and also for her to have some time to recover from her medical procedures. We will miss her very much, but we are so happy she will be going to someone who wants her and will no doubt fall in love with her as we have.
Hi
Yesterday (11/12/11) was our monthly Greyhound Pets of America (Cape) “Meet & Greet” at the Carbondale, Il. Petco
A very nice time was had by all, we had lots of inquiries about what greyhound adoption is all about and the hounds were absolutely thrilled to see their greyhound friends. The dogs just love to be petted and petted they were as for the four hours the meeting lasted they received plenty of attention from people as wide ranging as toddlers who were barely able to walk to the older folks who were barely able to walk 😉
I want to thank Petco for supporting the cause of pet adoption and rescue, not just greyhounds, but other dogs and animals also.
One of our members who is always present at these events was sick and could not make it yesterday and she was missed, get well soon, Laurie 🙂 Laurie and her husband Jon are the adoption coordinators for the Southern Illinois area for our group, Greyhound Pets of America (Cape Girardeau chapter)
Below are a few photos from the event…
Two Whippets who came and visited with their larger greyhound cousins!
If you are interested in a Greyhound it can be very difficult to impossible to find this dog breed in any store, humane society, or animal shelter. The place to go if you think a greyhound is right for you is one of the greyhound rescue organizations throughout the United States or whatever country you may live in. Some are shown at the bottom of this page.
The greyhound is a very tall, muscular dog breed. Male greyhounds weigh on average between 65 and 80 pounds, where the females are usually 5 to 10 pounds less. Males can reach twenty-seven to thirty inches in height (females a couple inches less on average). They are a short-haired dog with black, white, grey (blue), red, fawn, and several other color choices to choose from. The coat is really soft and is in fact very pleasing to pet for long periods of time.
One thing you need to know, they are NOT long distance runners. Distance running and jogging with your greyhound should be avoided under any circumstances, no matter how well-conditioned a greyhound is, it must be remembered that these dogs are sprinters and are not physiologically suited for long distances. Anything over a mile is a long distance for a greyhound, and most greyhounds have never run over half a mile.Some people have been able to overcome this and have greyhounds as “jogging buddies”, but care must be taken to train them to these longer distances and slower paces as it is not natural to them.
Greyhounds absolutely thrive on human attention, they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time because they want to be a part of the family and they also will get along very well around other dog breeds, once acquainted, in your household…but love to be with their own kind. Greyhounds are very sensitive, so you need to be able to devote plenty of time with your dog and make sure your children respect them and play gentle with them as well.
Care for these dogs in the grooming category is very simple, as mentioned, their coat is short and soft, which means a brushing every once in a while will help them to get rid of dead hairs. You should bathe them as little as possible as they do not have the amount of oil in their skin as other breeds, oils that are the cause of the “doggy smell”, so unless they get into something really foul or get extremely dirty, baths need not be high on the priority list for a greyhound. You will need to have a backyard or other area where you can take them a couple times a week to let them really stretch their muscles and run full out. You should also plan on having a morning and evening walk to help them expend their energy.
Training is also important as part of the exercise regime. You will find intelligence behind the dog but, as mentioned, they are hounds and hounds are well known for their stubborn streaks as greyhounds, they can be very sensitive. They need a person to be firm, but gentle and affectionate during any kind of training. Training should also keep the greyhound interested. They can become bored if the activity is not fun or challenging enough.
Greyhounds are one of the best pets you can have and especially when you want a pet that is very affectionate, with the greyhound you don’t have to worry about that, but remember don’t leave them alone for very long as they are “velcro” dogs and want to be with you as much as possible.
Halloween is upon us and that usually means the weather is getting cooler (at least in this neck of the woods…Southern Illinois) and cooler weather means it’s time to start breaking out the greyhound coats and other gear to help our greyhounds stay warm and dry.
You may be saying, “I have had lots of dogs and I never put coats and things like that on them and they did just fine”.
That may be true, but greyhounds are not “regular dogs”, they have less fat to insulate them from temperature extremes and they also have very thin, light fur compared to other dogs, even other canines with short fur. As stated above, they have virtually no fat to insulate them, no undercoat in their fur, so give them a break and get them a coat for the upcoming winter months.
The breed, however, can vary in their sensitivity to temperature changes and coats made to fit your hound will ensure your dog is able to cope.
A good warm, waterproof winter coat is an absolute must have. To deny such a sensitive dog this basic item is cruel and granted your dog may not freeze to death when outside for short periods, but it will nevertheless be very uncomfortable without the appropriate attire.
Don’t be the one that’s seen out running around dragging your poor shivering greyhound(s) around in the dead of winter with no protection from the cold.
It appears to this observer that PetFest 2011 was a big success. We, from GPA, had a great (greyt!) turnout of our greyhounds and other rescue/adoption organizations were also there with their dogs. Everything from pit bulls, labs, border collies, boxers, the ever popular “loveable mutt” and many more of practically every type, size and description.
There were so many wonderful, beautiful animals there looking for homes and I’m not just speaking of greyhounds, I’m speaking of all kinds of beautiful animals that desperately, through no fault of their own, need forever homes and the main culprit in this scenario is indiscriminate breeding.
Except for very select circumstances, there is no reason why anyone should ever buy a dog, there are just too many already available, from just weaned puppies to senior citizens. Buying dogs just perpetuates the already perverse world of puppy mills and back yard breeders and makes an already bad problem, worse.
Okay, with that rant out of my system, lets get back to a more positive note, and that is a “thumbs up” to all of the wonderful people who are devoted to helping stop this absurdity, from the people at Busch Pet Products & Care who organized PetFest 2011, all of our awesome volunteers at GPA (Cape) and everyone else from all of the other pet rescue organizations, product and service vendors and all of the people who came out in support of this cause.
That’s it… Go look at some pics of this event in the links above!!
Unknown Feed
Planet Greyhound 
You must be logged in to post a comment.