All You Need to Know About Adopting a Greyhound

Are you looking forward to finding yourself a new pet friend? If you never thought about adopting a greyhound, you’d be surprised to learn how many retired racing dogs are waiting to be adopted. Most greyhounds are left in shelters once they complete their part in the dog racing events. And greyhounds are just like other dogs – they are affectionate pets that can warm up to you in no time. Before you make the final decision, let’s look into a few key things. You can now learn how to look after a greyhound and what it takes to become an owner of one. We will further elaborate on the Greyhound Project and the overall process of adoption.

Retired Greyhound Adoption Tips: Should You Do It?

Becoming pet parents to a greyhound will not differ much from adopting any other breeds. In fact, taking care of a dog or a puppy requires a lot of work, regardless of whether the dog has a racing background or not.

Therefore, the answer to the question cannot be definitive. However, if you are aware of the responsibilities that come with keeping a dog in your house, and you’re ready for a furry member to become part of your family – there is no reason for you to not get one of these racing dogs.

The Perks of Adopting a Greyhound

There is a great benefit to following the adoption groups – they will help you find the perfect dog for yourself or your family. Greyhounds come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes .

Regardless of which one you pick, the fact is, you will be giving these ex-racers a warm home and you won’t be spending hundreds of dollars to buy a dog. Let’s dive deeper into all the perks that come from owning greyhounds.

Perfect for Apartments

Greyhounds are the perfect couch potatoes, they simply love to snuggle in their favorite blanket. They are a great fit for an apartment dog, as they don’t require huge spaces. They rarely ever bark, and there is little to no shed especially when compared to other breeds.

Not Much Exercise Needed

Most greyhounds tend to lay around, and they don’t need much exercise once they finish their life on the race tracks. In fact, many greyhounds are satisfied with short bursts of running, walking, or playing. However, if you’re looking to own a greyhound puppy, that will not be the same dog.

Pack Animals

Being part of the race track has exposed them to lots of training and other dogs. The Greyhound breed is naturally social, and they have a sense of hierarchy. Greyhounds originate from southern wolf strains and are related to sight-hounds, which explains their social needs. They are also used to children, as they have encountered many during their training.

Retired Racing Greyhounds Don’t Eat Much

Not only that these dogs are gentle, quiet, and sensitive, but they are used to a routine and they don’t require many calories per day. Naturally, you should consult with your veterinarian and get more information about your new pet’s diet.

Are There Any Downsides to Greyhound Adoption?

We think that the upsides are rather solid – these trained dogs are fun to be around and they make great house pets. However, before you decide adopting a greyhound, you should have an idea of the few possible downsides.

Veterinarian Visits Are a Must

Every pet’s health is of vital importance, and going to the veterinarian is an important responsibility for all pet parents. However, greyhounds may require more frequent vet visits than most dogs. Additionally, you will have to find a vet that is familiar with other greyhounds, as they are rather specific health-wise.

Noise Isn’t Their Thing

Greyhounds may go through a lot of things in their lives and they are happy to socialize, but they are simply not fans of noises. You will have to introduce them to the noises of the house bit by bit. This is not a downside in particular, especially if you live in a quiet neighborhood, or if you lead such a lifestyle. In all other cases, you may want to look into some other breed.

How to Adopt a Greyhound?

If you’ve already decided adopting a greyhound, you will simply need to get to the bottom of the process. Let’s take a deeper look into the greyhounds’ adoption process.

The greyhound project is an organization that helps with greyhound rehoming. You can use their page to find out how and where you can find a greyhound adoption agency in your state. The greyhound project’s website also has a sample adoption application and all the greyhound rehoming agencies available per US state.

There are many other greyhound organizations in the country too. You can even look for one around the world if you’re ready to make a room for the retired greyhounds .

You can also help promote retired greyhound adoption, even if you’re not currently in the situation to adopting a greyhound.

Life With a Retired Racing Greyhound

Many people have never been interested in dog racing or greyhound racing at all. Instead, they were just looking for a dog to make their own and that’s when greyhounds appeared. If this is going to be you soon and you plan on bringing these dogs at home -this is how your days should look.

Slow Introduction to Other Home Members

If you own a cat, or even if you have multiple cats, the introduction should be slow . Greyhounds have a history of chasing, and they may want to chase them around the house. This is why a slow introduction is recommended – give them time to adjust to each other and things should fall in their place.

On the other hand, when it comes to children, chances are greyhounds already have the experience, or they’ve been around them. However, for the best experience, you should make sure the environment in which they first meet is friendly. And remember, there should be as little noise as possible.

Keep Them on a Leash

If they aren’t tempted to chase your cat, the track training may inspire them to chase lures. This is why it is important to keep them on a leash when they’re outside. Naturally, if you have a fenced yard, they can be let roam free.

Nevertheless, retired racing greyhounds are already trained. This means that they most likely know how to walk on a leash – which will make things simpler for you, especially if this is your first dog. You shouldn’t get discouraged even if the dog isn’t properly trained, as they are known to be quite intelligent.

Keep Your Greyhound Warm

Greyhounds as a breed don’t enjoy the cold . This is normal as they don’t have much fur and their aerodynamic shape doesn’t keep them warm.

This is why it is important to always keep your greyhound warm. This is one of the easiest parts though – give them blankets to snuggle in and make sure to dress them up in a jacket before heading out. And if you can’t find a jacket that fits them well, you can get a tailored one, or order one online.

Leaving the Racing Life Behind

Even though they have put the greyhound racing tournaments behind, they are bred and trained to chase. This means that it may take them some time to adjust to their new life outside the track races.

While living in the countryside is great for most dog breeds , greyhounds may actually prefer to live inside. We aren’t saying that they don’t like nature, of course, but they are surely not meant to stay out in the open. Moreover, having other animals around them might not be the best for your greyhound – they are chasers after all.

Finally, there is no one-fits-all manual when it comes to dogs. Every dog has their own personality and traits and a greyhound is no different.

The key to success is to learn and take care of their needs and tailor their activities to them. The love and affection from the four-legged creatures are priceless.

FAQ