There’s no dog quite as striking as a greyhound. They are beautiful and sleek dogs, genetically engineered to run. If you’ve ever seen one at the dog park or in normal day to day life, you’ve probably recognized them as a little older, but very docile pups. Many people don’t know, but most of the time Greyhounds aren’t brought up as pets from the time they were puppies, rather they were adopted after they pass their prime as runners.
Understanding What Greyhound Rescues Need
First and foremost, if you’re adopting a Greyhound after it’s racing career has ended, understand how it’s been brought up thus far. Greyhounds, by nature, are pack animals. They’re social and they look for companionship. It would be no surprise for your Greyhound to follow you from room to room looking for attention. Depending on the situation, some retired Greyhounds may be shy. So you should expect that you may need to work on socialization along with some basic training.
These dogs have been trained from puppies that racing is what they do. They’re naturally athletic, and running is no challenge for them. Given their nature and history of racing, many people adopt Greyhounds and assume they’d like to run often; do not make this assumption. Some dogs, once their racing careers are over, prefer to keep their running days behind them and are simply not interested in running, aside from an occasional romp in the park. Be open to what you’re Greyhound wants: certainly give it the opportunity to decide for itself, but don’t make that assumption in it’s stead.
Lastly, understand that many Greyhounds come with some medical issues, specifically in their legs and feet. They’ve been worked hard as race dogs, and unfortunately that does not come without cost to these sweet dogs. They’ll need a little extra care, and don’t be surprised if you end up shelling out more money for their medical care than you would for any other breed.
How to Get One
You’ll want to do plenty of research to be sure that a Greyhound is a good breed for you based on the brief criteria already mentioned. If you and your family determine that they’re a great fit for you, search for a Greyhound Adoption Agencies in your state. There are several all over the country, and chances are you’re within driving distance of one. Before you go through one agency in particular, be sure to look into their policies. Some are very specific and strict with regulations, and will not allow Greyhounds to be placed him homes with other pets, for example. There are often good reasons for these rules, so do not disregard them.
Adopting breed a Greyhound, as long as it’s a good fit, can be a great gift for you as well as the animal. Please be thorough in doing your research because inadequate care could result in a temperamental or medically disadvantaged Greyhound.
