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Rescuing a greyhound for the holidays.

M

Mr Pickles

Diamond Member
As sort of a present for myself this year, and hopefully for a greyhound, I applied to rescue one here locally with Greyhounds of America. Just got a phone call from a very nice lady and set up an in-house interview with one of the volunteers after turkey day.

I'm really excited. This will be my first pet outside of the family dogs and cats that I grew up with. I figured if I'm going to get an animal it might as well be one that needs a home the most. I have been reading up on rescued greyhounds for weeks now so I know exactly what I'm getting into.

Has anyone else here rescued a greyhound before? Any words of wisdom?

I hope by the end of the year I can dig up this post and add some pics of my new friend.

Update: I arranged the at-home interview over the weekend and the volunteers came by to see the place. Having a condo without a backyard is no big deal, considering I live close to the dog park and other large fields. They probably won't show me a greyhound that can't go to the bathroom on a leash yet (instead of just being let out into a background to go). But I'm all clear to schedule a chance to see them this weekend. I might have a new friend in a week or so!

 
Great dogs. A good friend of mine had a rescued greyhound and we got to petsit him for 3 months while the friend was in Europe. Very well behaved and gentle dogs, hilarious when they get excited and bounce.

We plan to get one one day when our current herd thins out.
 
My neighbor back in NY adopted a greyhound, and they loved it, good job saving him/her from the glue factory!

Only advice I can give is if you live anywhere its cold, you gotta buy them little doggie coats...
 
My mother is a retired Vet Tech, and she's really jaded about animals. She always said that she liked Greyhounds. Quiet, gentle dogs. You're doing a good thing.

Also, if you adopt a greyhound on Christmas, you HAVE to name it "Santa's Little Helper"
 
Originally posted by: So
My mother is a retired Vet Tech, and she's really jaded about animals. She always said that she liked Greyhounds. Quiet, gentle dogs. You're doing a good thing.

Also, if you adopt a greyhound on Christmas, you HAVE to name it "Santa's Little Helper"
Click to expand...

Oh man good call! That's genius, but I think if he\she already has a name I'm probably going to stick with it. I don't invest too much into names and if that's one less confusing thing for him\her then that's fine with me.

I am worried that they might not like the fact that I live in a condo, regardless of the fields around me and the large amount of time that I spend outdoors.
 
I have had two greyhounds (2nd was I just adopted a few weeks ago). Great dogs...VERY calm (occasionally they freak out in funny ways, but they are the laziest dogs on earth). The most important rule about owning a greyhound is you can never have them off leash in an unfenced area. They spot a rabbit or something interesting and it's game over...you cannot train that out of them. They also really have to be indoor dogs.
 
Great great dogs. Its fine that you're in a condo, they just need a short run a couple of times a day or so but other than that they love just lounging around.

Fantastic temperament and great with kids and are also good if you have allergies in general to dogs.
 
Originally posted by: Mr Pickles
As sort of a present for myself this year, and hopefully for a greyhound, I applied to rescue one here locally with Greyhounds of America. Just got a phone call from a very nice lady and set up an in-house interview with one of the volunteers after turkey day.

I'm really excited. This will be my first pet outside of the family dogs and cats that I grew up with. I figured if I'm going to get an animal it might as well be one that needs a home the most. I have been reading up on rescued greyhounds for weeks now so I know exactly what I'm getting into.

Has anyone else here rescued a greyhound before? Any words of wisdom?

I hope by the end of the year I can dig up this post and add some pics of my new friend.
Click to expand...

They need more exercise and attention than most. There are more needy dogs than those at a rescue though.

You really have to figure out your lifestyle and then match it to a dog. Most that shop dogs go for 'looks' more than anything and end up with a piss-poor relationship.
 
:thumbsup: Greyhounds are great dogs. Based on how long he/she has been fostered, he/she might need you to teach it how to be a pet dog (ie. using stairs, playing, etc).

Note - he/she will have a high prey drive, so make sure you have a firm grip on the leash when going for walks, in case he/she sees a squirrel, cat, etc.

Good luck!!!
 
Update: I arranged the at-home interview over the weekend and the volunteers came by to see the place. Having a condo without a backyard is no big deal, considering I live close to the dog park and other large fields. They probably won't show me a greyhound that can't go to the bathroom on a leash yet (instead of just being let out into a background to go). But I'm all clear to schedule a chance to see them this weekend. I might have a new friend in a week or so!
 
I had a customer years ago that ran a greyhound rescue. She'd always have one or two with her. Those dogs, which are primarily rescued from racetracks, not abusive homes, have some HUGE hindquarters.
 
Originally posted by: sdifox
Don't greyhounds require lots of exercise just like the golden retrievers?
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Don't get me wrong, greyhounds love to run but, they are couch potatoes. They have no problem being in an apartment setting.
 
Originally posted by: sdifox
Don't greyhounds require lots of exercise just like the golden retrievers?
Click to expand...

No. For being so fast, they have little endurance. A sprint or two will tire them out or even a long walk. They are actually well adapted for an apartment or city life. And like most hounds, once they get inside, they just want to snuggle up somewhere and be a couch potato.
 
Originally posted by: Mr Pickles
Update: I arranged the at-home interview over the weekend and the volunteers came by to see the place. Having a condo without a backyard is no big deal, considering I live close to the dog park and other large fields. They probably won't show me a greyhound that can't go to the bathroom on a leash yet (instead of just being let out into a background to go). But I'm all clear to schedule a chance to see them this weekend. I might have a new friend in a week or so!
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Originally posted by: sdifox
Don't greyhounds require lots of exercise just like the golden retrievers?
Click to expand...

No. For being so fast, they have little endurance. A sprint or two will tire them out or even a long walk. They are actually well adapted for an apartment or city life. And like most hounds, once they get inside, they just want to snuggle up somewhere and be a couch potato.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've done a lot of reading up on them. They were bread to be fast as hell, which doesn't translate into hyper, rambunctious, or in need of a lot of space to roam free. Its kind of a shame, really. I think they get a bad rap based on stereotypes. They are not high energy animals at all and require the same amount of exercise as any other dog: good sized walks once a day and then a chance to run free or have long walks or runs 2-3 times a week. They are strictly indoor dogs that cannot weather the cold nights outside and are really affectionate in exchange for warmth. Greyhounds are typically lazy and love to just lounge around the house.

When you get them outside they are just as active as any other dog, but when inside they are chill, which is good because I'm basically the same way. I'll play ultimate or go running on the coast line four days a week but when I'm at home I'm at the computer or watching tv on the couch. I think its going to work out perfectly.

I think a lot more people would see how amazing these animals are once they are comfortable as a retired house pet if they read into them. Most people don't even consider greyhounds as pets which is pretty sad.

On another note, the volunteer said I can go to the track's website and punch in the ID inside the dog's ear and I can actually watch all of the races the dog was in at their archive. When I finally get him\her I'll have to post some links to my new friend coming in first!
 
I worked at a Greyhound track for a while. Every so often they would have a day when people that had adopted retired greyhounds would bring them in to the track and they would have a get together/party. One of these get togethers happened to fall during a live racing performance. The dogs heard the lure start up for a race and all hell broke loose dogs barking and howling and one poor woman was nearly pulled over by her dog attempting to chase it.
They are awesome dogs though. 🙂
 
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