| It seems to vary a lot from dog to dog. Some will shed an appreciable amount, others hardly at all. “Appreciable" means that when you use a curry comb, you can get loose hair off the dog. There is some thought (and anecdotal evidence) that lighter colored Greyhounds shed more than dark ones do! However, bear in mind that even a so-called "heavily shedding" Greyhound would shed a lot less than say, a Dalmatian or a German Shepherd Dog. |
| Many breed description books will list the Greyhound as being too "highstrung" to tolerate children. This is false. Most Greyhounds have a very calm disposition, and many of them are good with children, especially if they are raised around well-mannered children. In general, any dog, of any breed, that has not been raised around children or has an unknown background, must be watched carefully. In any case, all interactions between dogs and children, no matter how trustworthy they are, should be supervised by an adult. |
| They need less exercise than you would think. Greyhounds are primarily a sprinting breed, rather than endurance one. They are happy with several good runs a week -- and will lie on your couch all the rest of the time! |
| In general, track Greyhounds are a little smaller (shorter and less heavy) than the show ones. Track Greyhounds are more heavily muscled in the rear and their necks and heads are not as slender or exaggerated as show Greyhounds' are. Those are the physical differences. |
| Their racing instinct is based on a well-developed prey drive. When you have a group of greyhounds together, especially strange ones, it is advisable to muzzle them to prevent accidental bites. Greyhounds are not dog aggressive, but when excited may nip at others. Don't let the muzzles lull you into a false sense of security. You must still monitor a group of muzzled Greyhounds since it's possible to catch ears through a muzzle and so on. Do note that muzzling is not always required; it's simply a sensible precaution if you are dealing with a large group of Greyhounds. |
| Many people believe that because of their structure and low body fat that they cannot swim. This is untrue. Some Greyhounds are excellent swimmers and others are not. Supervise your Greyhound's entry into water until you are certain he can swim. |
Now that you have found answers to some of your questions for us, here are some questions to ask yourself (and that the adoption group may ask you). These questions can help you figure out how a greyhound will fit into your life and show you the "danger zones" that many adoption groups are on the lookout for.
| If you're into looks ("gee, what a pretty dog"), you need to do more research. If you've been around friends' greyhounds and love them you're definitely on the right track. |
| And are you willing to change them for a month or two? If you're regularly away from home more than nine hours a day you'll have to invest in a dog walking service or neighbor to keep your new dog from bursting during the day. Even though greyhounds are much more tolerant than most breeds, they need daily attention and time. |
| If your answer is 10 minutes a day and a couple hours on the weekends you're in the wrong place; get a cat. If you have time for 2 walks a day, yard-time every day and a couple of good long runs on the weekends your dog and adoption agency will love you. |
| Children? Do they know about dogs? Can you teach them to respect one another? Spouse/significant other? Do both of you want a greyhound? Are both of you willing to take care of the dog? Roommates? How stable is your roommate? If he/she leaves will you be able to handle the dog on your own? |
| Many greyhounds live in small apartments with no yard, but their owners are committed to 2-3 short walks and 1-2 long walks a day. Your level of commitment must be able to handle your living situation. |
| Though not all adoption groups ask this, it's an important question for you to ask yourself. Without a securely fenced yard, you must take your dog out at least four times a day to relieve him/herself, plus exercise walks. At the same time, even with a fenced yard, the dog will need exercise and attention from you every day (plus yard clean up). |
| Except when in fully secure, fenced areas? Greyhounds have two important traits that make them greyhounds: the urge to chase and speed. It's a part of their being and it leaves no room for self preservation. In 30 seconds a greyhound can be running close to 40 M.P.H., across streets, over fences, through woods. He might get hit by a car, get lost, or break a leg in a gopher hole. |
| Make sure your adoption group understands the kinds of pets you have. We've heard it all: ferrets, cats, fish, birds. Many Greyhounds do well in homes with small animals, and most do well in homes with other dogs. Some however, don't, so to make sure no horrible accidents occur, inform your adoption group. |
| If you've left dogs at the pound and abandoned cats at your last apartment, adoption groups are not going to trust you with a greyhound. If you've had extenuating circumstances explain it to the adoption volunteer and get some ideas on how you might handle the same situation with your greyhound. The adoption group is interested in the long-term health and safety of their greyhounds! |
| Be honest with yourself. If your budget only allows for an extra $20 a month for dog expenses this may not be the right time to get a dog. Realistically you can expect to pay $140-$300 for initial adoption, spay/neuter, shots, worming, vet check plus regular food costs of $20/month. Then there are the emergencies that happen (we figured in $15/month over the long term) and various dog toys and "stuff" of $15/month. |
How does the adoption process work?
| The adopt process begins by filling out an online application for adoption. The application is forwarded to G.R.A.C.E. representatives who review the application, references, and check for available dogs that best fit your home's lifestyle. Within a week someone will contact you and discuss your application with you and set up a date for a home visit. We bring 1 or 2 greyhounds to your home visit that best fit your home so we can see how the greyhound interacts in your home and so you can also get a better understanding of what it is like to have a greyhound in your house. |
What if I want to foster a greyhound?
| We can always use more foster homes. Fostering is a fun, essential and very rewarding job. Foster homes are what makes G.R.A.C.E. possible. Once our new arrivals have been to the vet they get placed in foster homes. This is where the greyhounds learn their "house manners". Becoming a foster home is similar to adopting: Fill out the online application, but make sure to note that you would like to be a foster home. |
We found our background at Greyhound Greetings
