Greyhound Information
History
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Greyhounds originated in the middle east perhaps as long as 8,000 years ago. Paintings of greyhound type dogs can be found in the pyramids. They were treated with reverence by ancient Egyptions and highly regarded by other cultures in the Middle East.
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Where the greyhound got its name is unknown. It could derived from the Saxon words Gech or Greg, meaning - Greek - because they thought the breed originated in Greece. The word could also have come from the centuries when only aristocrats (Great people) were allowed to own greyhounds. It may also have been derived from the term gazehound - a dog that hunts by sight. The name has nothing to do with the greyhound's color. Gray is a rare color for a greyhound.
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Most greyhound today can trace their bloodlines directly back to greyhounds bred in England in the early 1800's.
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Greyhounds arrived in America with Christopher Columbus. They became very popular later as the midwest was settled to keep the jack rabbit population under control. Greyhounds were also used then and are still bred in some areas, to hunt and kill coyotes.
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Greyhound racing as we know it developed in the early 1900s. It is regulated by the National Greyhound Association. Only 10 states have operational tracks - AZ, TX, AR, IA, WI, NH, AL, WV, RI, and FL. Most of the tracks are in Florida and that is where we get the majority of our dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are greyhounds high energy? No. They are very calm and lazy and are known as 45mph couch potatoes. Although they are athletes; they are sprinters, so tire very quickly with only a small amount of exercise.
Do you need a large yard to have a greyhound? No. See the above answer. One dog magazine recently rated greyhounds as one of the best apartment dogs because of their calm, quiet nature.
Where do you get greyhounds from? Most of our greyhounds come from race tracks in Florida but some come from Alabama, Arkansas and West Virginia tracks. We work with a few owners and trainers that we know well. They call us when they have greyhounds ready to retire and have the dogs delivered to us or we arrange for volunteers to transport the dogs. The trainers provide us valuable information about each greyhound's behavior and personality before they arrive. We also get some retired brood and stud dogs from greyhound breeding farms.
Are all racing greyhounds abused? No. Racing greyhounds are very valuable and worth $1,000s of dollars. Owners look for trainers that will take good care of their dogs so that they will run well. In any industry there are a few bad people but most trainers work with racers because they enjoy working with dogs. The trainers we get our greyhounds from do not abuse their dogs and treat them like the elite athletes they are. Often they have greyhound pets of their own.
Are greyhounds forced to race? No. Most greyhounds LOVE to run and chase more than anything. Once you own a greyhound you will see that when they are scared or nervous they turn into statues so it is difficult to force them to do anything. We get a few greyhounds that never make it to the race track because they show no interest in racing. If they don't want to run they are retired.
What do they chase when racing? The lure they chase is a stuffed animal made of fake fur. Depending on the track they look like a large rabbit or a bone.
Do racing greyhounds wear muzzles because they are vicious? No. Racers that show any aggression towards other racers during a race are banned from track. Muzzles help determine the winner in photo finishes. Greyhounds have very fragile thin skin and race with their mouths open. A bump with a tooth at 40+ mph could injure a greyhound so they help prevent injuries too. Kennel muzzles (different than the racing muzzles) are used because of the number of dogs in one small area at the track. Any time you have 70 dogs that may or may not know each other in one room you are bound to have disagreements. With their thin skin even rough play can leave a gash.
I have a greyhound that is afraid of everything, was it abused? Probably not. Most shyness is genetic or the result of poor socialization as puppies in that critical first four months of life. Most greyhounds are raised on farms so a few do not get the early handling by humans and exposure to new things they need as puppies. This can cause them to be afraid of people and nervous in new situations for the rest of their lives - much like a wild animal would be. A dog that has been abused may be afraid of men and sticks for instance (the things that hurt him). A dog that is genetically shy or not properly socialized will be afraid of the man, the stick, going thru doorways, riding in cars, children, trashcans, planes overhead, or anything it wasn't exposed to as a puppy (things that obviously could never have caused it any harm).
Can I adopt/buy a greyhound puppy? Only a little over 100 AKC show greyhounds are bred each year, so buying a puppy from a none race breeder can be difficult. Most greyhounds were bred to be racers. We occasionally get young pups that were the result of an accidental breeding or ones that had an injury early in life that would prevent them from racing. We also get a few that flunk out of racing school when they are just over a year old.? Greyhound puppies are very hyper and large and best left to the? experienced dog owner.
What is a greyhound's early life like? Greyhounds have a unique upbringing. They often get to stay with their mothers for longer than most pups. They are usually born on a farm in a breeding kennel and moved with their mother and littemates to an outdoor run when they are old enough. They will eventually be weaned and their mother will be removed but the litter usually stays together. The males and females may be separated into different pens as they get older. At around a year the pups will be sent together to race training. They will learn to walk on leash, be crate trained and learn to chase a lure and break from the box. At 15 to 18 months the litter is sent to the race track, often together.
What is their racing life like? They live in large crates in indoor, climate controlled kennels. There are around 70 dogs in each kennel. There are many of these kennels at each track. The males are in the bottom crates and the smaller females that are easier to boost up are in crates above the males. They have a sandy fenced pen where the dogs are turned out together for potty breaks. The girls and boys go out separately. They race only once every 3 to 5 days. The races are usually 5/16th of a mile and take about 30 seconds but there are some races that are slightly lon
ger. Most racers are fed a combination of raw meat, kibble and vitamin supplements. Racers retire sometime between 2 and 5 years old, depending on their ability to win races. The best racers may be used for breeding.
Is it true that greyhounds can't sit? No. While a sit is not a natural position for most greyhounds and can be difficult to teach, greyhounds can sit if they are taught how. Some greyhounds have obedience titles to prove it.
Are greyhounds trained not to sit at the track? No.? Greyhounds that have never been to a race track have the same difficulty with the position. It just isn't as comfortable for them as the average dog because of the way they are built.
Are greyhounds easy to train? Yes and no. Most are very intelligent and will learn things that are important to them, like when dinner time is, very quickly. They may even figure out how to open the cupboard and the food container and feed themselves. Most potty train in a few days.? Greyhounds were not bred look to people for guidence when they work like a retriever or a herding dog though. They were bred to hunt and chase and not be distracted by the people watching. They are also very lazy and seem to have a "whats in it for me?" attitude which can make obedience training more challenging. They CAN do it and there are greyhounds with advanced obedience titles. You just have to be a fun and interesting trainer to keep their attention and keep lessons short so they don't get tired and bored.
Are greyhounds good with children?Yes! Most greyhounds are good with WELL BEHAVED children. LIke any dog, they may growl to let you know they don't like something or as a warning. Like all dogs they may bite if injured or provoked.? Research done by Dr. James Serpell, indicates that Greyhounds are the least aggressive breed of dog. The Greyhound scored 1.08 on the doggie aggression index.? This was the lowest score given out of the 33 breeds studied. A very good resource for learning to handle potential problems between dogs and children is the book "Childproofing your Dog" by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson.
Are greyhounds good watch or guard dogs? No! See answer above. Most greyhounds are not barkers, not aggressive, and spend too much of their day sleeping to keep watch. A 70+ lb dog of any breed would probably give a burglar reason to choose another house though.
Greyhounds are awfully big, do they make good indoor dogs? Yes. Greyhounds don't have much fur or body fat to protect them from the elements so need to be indoor dogs. They have short fur, are naturally clean and have no doggy odor so they make wonderful indoor dogs. They just won't be happy outside by themselves.
More Greyhound Trivia:
- Greyhounds don’t have much of a doggy odor so rarely need baths.
- Greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog reaching speeds close to 45 mph.
- Greyhounds have a very short, single layer coat so shed less than most breeds. Some greyhounds are fuzzier and shed more than others though.
- Greyhounds hearts are larger than the hearts of other dogs and they have a thicker left wall. Vets that aren’t familiar with greyhounds may be concerned about their “enlarged heart”.
- Greyhounds have more red blood cells than other breeds and many have a universal blood type which make them excellent blood donors.
- Racing greyhounds receive tattoos in both ears as puppies. They can be identified by these tattoos by a phone call to the National Greyhound Association.
- Greyhounds rarely get hip displasia that is common in other large breeds.
- Because of their gentle, calm disposition most greyhounds make excellent therapy dogs.
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