Meet the "45-mph Couch Potatoes"
Who would think that dogs capable of racing at 45 miles per hour actually make a calm and loving family pet, once they retire from the track?
When I first learned about greyhound rescue and decided to adopt one of my own, it was the beginning of a love affair with the breed. Although he was raised as "livestock" at the track, my ex-racer soon learned to love another, gentler, slower way of life... and I was forever hooked on retired racing greyhounds as companion animals.
Since then, although I've also had other breeds of dogs in my life as well, my great joy has been to foster, train and share my home with these beautiful, gentle, endlessly fascinating long-legged hounds.
When I first learned about greyhound rescue and decided to adopt one of my own, it was the beginning of a love affair with the breed. Although he was raised as "livestock" at the track, my ex-racer soon learned to love another, gentler, slower way of life... and I was forever hooked on retired racing greyhounds as companion animals.
Since then, although I've also had other breeds of dogs in my life as well, my great joy has been to foster, train and share my home with these beautiful, gentle, endlessly fascinating long-legged hounds.
Greyhounds as Pets
45-mph Couch Potatoes
Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, capable of reaching up to 45 miles per hour in just three strides! They can sustain speeds of 30 mph for as much as a mile, but they run in short bursts - a race lasts little more than half a minute, and a typical "grey play" time is no more than a few minutes, typically. These are not "hyper" or extremely active dogs, contrary to popular myth -- in fact, just the opposite is true!Although they do love to stretch their long legs with a good run, greyhounds often actually need less exercise than most large dog breeds. There are sprinters, not long-distance runners, so a 20-minute walk each day will usually do them fine, with the occasional rip-roaring play session. In fact, many owners will tell you that their retired racers become quite lazy, once their racing days are done! They truly enjoy snoozing on a soft bed or mat for most of the day, andmany retired racers live very happily in city apartments and suburbs as well as in country homes.
Obviously, all dogs are individuals within a breed, so you will find a few higher-energy hounds among the couch potatoes, especially when they're young. I have one of each type, right now - a cute and feisty little female who loves to go on long hikes with me, and a big super-gentle male to cuddle up with on the couch. Perfect!
Born to Run
Born to Run
In Loving Memory
of
BB's Fly Catcher (1999-2010)
&
Kiowa Boyd Barry (2007-2013)
Run free, boys.
of
BB's Fly Catcher (1999-2010)
&
Kiowa Boyd Barry (2007-2013)
Run free, boys.
Greyhound Breed Information
As members of the Sighthound family of dog breeds, greyhounds are characterized by their lean and muscular build, deep chests, and powerful hindquarters.The neck is long and muscular, carrying a long-nosed elegant head. The rosette ears are normally carried flat against the head but they can stand at attention to indicate interest or alarm. Long tails are carried low and slightly curved. Greyhounds are lean by nature, with very low body fat, and at first may seem undernourished to people who are not accustomed to seeing these athletic dogs in a home setting.
The American Kennel Club breed standard gives the size range for AKC "show" greyhounds as 65 - 70 pounds for dogs (males) and 60 - 65 pounds for bitches (females). Racers are judged on their speed and spirit, not their appearance, however, so there is a greater range of sizes among racers registered with the National Greyhound Association (NGA) racing industry organization than there is with the AKC strains.
It's not uncommon to see a large male with a lean racing weight of 80 pounds, for example, though I've had two who were so big-boned that they easily carried a retirement weight of 95 without being an ounce overweight, while the very small female I have right now is still only 58 lbs though two years since she last raced. Similarly, a greyhound's height at the shoulder can range from 25 to 30 inches or so. Basically, whatever size of dog (from medium, to large, to extra-large) you prefer, there's probably an ex-racer of just that size, ready to be adopted!
Off the Track
Off the Track
All the Colours of Grey
As a result, the greyhound's short-haired coat may be almost any colour or combination of colours - not just grey!
Eighteen "official colours" are recognized by the American Greyhound Track Operators(AGTO). These are black, black & white, black brindle, blue, blue brindle, brindle, dark brindle, fawn, fawn brindle, light brindle, light red fawn, red, red & white, red brindle, red fawn, white & black, and white & brindle ticked. But that's just the broad strokes - more than three times that number of colors are listed by Greyhound-Data, an international database site for pedigree and race records information.
Oddly enough, grey (called "blue") is most rare -- only one in about 500,000 greyhounds are actually grey in colour!
Looking for a Long Term Commitment?
This could be the love of your life...
The Greyhound Project produced a series of PSAs a few years back to promote the cause of ex-racing greyhound adoption. Cal, the black greyhound who is "looking for a long term commitment" in this spot, was adopted soon after filming. But there are thousands more retired racers just like Cal who are waiting to find their forever homes. To find an adoption group near you, please visit The Greyhound Project at www.adopt-a-greyhound.org.
Obedience Training for Greyhounds
and other "hard-to-train" dog breeds
I'm a huge fan of clicker training for retired racing greyhounds and other rescue or shelter dogs. It seems to build confidence in the dog as he learns to solve problems, make choices about his behaviour, and "learn to learn" - all the while, creating a strong bond between dog and handler.To find a clicker trainer in your area, check with the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) if you're in the United States, or with theCanadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers (CAPPDT) if you're in Canada. In other countries, your best bet is to look for someone who has been through either the Canis Clickertraining Academy or Karen Pryor's clicker training program.
If there is no clicker training facility in your area, don't worry, you can still learn to use this gentle, positive, science-based method. There are many excellent books and online training programs that can help you learn to teach your own dog good manners.
Unfortunately, there is also a lot of rather poor advice out there, as well - choose carefully, and step quickly away from any training that uses the old-fashioned "leash jerk" or similar "corrections" based on the outdated "dominance" theory. Be aware that the harsh old-time type of training methods can be downright dangerous for both you and your greyhound, and it won't create the kind of strong bond that you will develop with your pet by using more positive training methods.
When choosing a dog training method to follow, ask yourself, "Is this something I would do to my small child?" If the answer is NO, find yourself a new trainer or training program.
In general, positive, reward-based dog training is the approach advocated by most greyhound rescues and adoption groups, as the kindest and most effective approach to re- training your ex-racer to be a companion animal.
How to Teach a Greyhound to Wear Boots
Lots of people say that their dogs "don't like" wearing paw protectors -- they kick them off, or simply refuse to let their owner put the boots on their feet in the first place, wiggling and pulling the feet away.Fortunately, with a bit of patience -- and some good dog treats! -- you cantrain a greyhound to wear winter boots quite easily, especially if you choose to clicker train your greyhound.
The key is not to rush the process, so you and your pup don't get all stressed out, and to make the boot-wearing experience a pleasant and rewarding one for your greyhound. When he learns to associate the boots with getting treats or with going outside to play, before long he'll be cool with sporting footwear.
Are Ex-Racing Greyhounds Good With Kids?
Have a look!
In the video below, a 3-year-old retired greyhound and a 3-year-old girl get to know each other. The dog has learned his "Leave It" command, and is able to take treats very gently, and only when they're offered to him. The little girl, in turn, is learning how to interact safely and gently with a large dog.
As with any breed of dog, some individual retired racing greyhounds are better with children than others - and of course kids and dogs need to be supervised AT ALL TIMES, no matter what breed of dog it is. Retired racing greyhounds will typically have had very little experience with children, in their life at the track, so may be skittish, scared, uncertain, or just overly playful with your little ones at first. In general, "if the child is good with the greyhound, the greyhound will be good with the child."
Certainly, you'll want to do some good solid training right from Day One with your new pet, to make sure the child and the dog both understand the "rules of engagement" -- for the happiness and safety of everyone. The adoption groups I've worked with, and our local SPCA shelter, follow the DogGone Safe bite-prevention program and often do presentations in local schools, based on their excellent "Be a Tree" program, flashcards to teach dog body language, and other resources.
If there are young kids in your life and you're thinking of adopting a dog of any breed, do take a look atwww.doggonesafe.com for lots of good advice.
Certainly, you'll want to do some good solid training right from Day One with your new pet, to make sure the child and the dog both understand the "rules of engagement" -- for the happiness and safety of everyone. The adoption groups I've worked with, and our local SPCA shelter, follow the DogGone Safe bite-prevention program and often do presentations in local schools, based on their excellent "Be a Tree" program, flashcards to teach dog body language, and other resources.
If there are young kids in your life and you're thinking of adopting a dog of any breed, do take a look atwww.doggonesafe.com for lots of good advice.
Yes, You Can Teach a Greyhound to Sit!
Yes, You Can Teach a Greyhound to Sit!
My Playful Pooch
My Playful Pooch
My Playful Pooch
Greyhound Craft Projects
DIY Greyhound Crafts
Free or very inexpensive craft patterns are here to help you celebrate the beautiful greyhound in your life!
- Life-Sized Stuffed Hound Dog Pattern
- Free sewing pattern to make a life-sized stuffed hound dog... in case your greyhound needs a furry friend!
- Life Size Greyhound PDF Crochet Pattern
- Here's another pattern to make your own greyhound -- this time, a crochet project and the hound is really, really big! Available on Etsy for only $6.00 (price as of June 2013). A portion of every purchase is donated to benefit Greyhound Adoption. (There's an incredibly cute picture of this crochet greyhound with a real one beside him at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kf-in-georgia/246570185/ - you've got to see it!)
- Greyhound Crochet Purse
- Crochet a casual greyhound bag to carry your pet essentials around in - or maybe even your own gear. The Greyhound Purse Crochet Pattern comes as a PDF file for instant download. Available on Etsy for $4.00 (price as of June 2013).
- Free Greyhound Santa Craft Pattern
- Santa Greyhound is an adorable holiday table decoration, made of polymer clay (like Sculpey or Fimo) and bits of leftover fabric and craft materials. The free instructions are courtesy of Greyhound Manor Crafts, a nonprofit group that promotes greyhound adoption by providing free craft patterns related to greyhounds.
Free or very inexpensive craft patterns are here to help you celebrate the beautiful greyhound in your life!
- Life-Sized Stuffed Hound Dog Pattern
- Free sewing pattern to make a life-sized stuffed hound dog... in case your greyhound needs a furry friend!
- Life Size Greyhound PDF Crochet Pattern
- Here's another pattern to make your own greyhound -- this time, a crochet project and the hound is really, really big! Available on Etsy for only $6.00 (price as of June 2013). A portion of every purchase is donated to benefit Greyhound Adoption. (There's an incredibly cute picture of this crochet greyhound with a real one beside him at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kf-in-georgia/246570185/ - you've got to see it!)
- Greyhound Crochet Purse
- Crochet a casual greyhound bag to carry your pet essentials around in - or maybe even your own gear. The Greyhound Purse Crochet Pattern comes as a PDF file for instant download. Available on Etsy for $4.00 (price as of June 2013).
- Free Greyhound Santa Craft Pattern
- Santa Greyhound is an adorable holiday table decoration, made of polymer clay (like Sculpey or Fimo) and bits of leftover fabric and craft materials. The free instructions are courtesy of Greyhound Manor Crafts, a nonprofit group that promotes greyhound adoption by providing free craft patterns related to greyhounds.
Shadow Puppet Greyhound
Shape your hands to make a fun greyhound dog shadow on the wall!
This shadow puppet greyhound idea came from an old book that I found on Project Gutenberg a couple of years ago -Hand Shadows To Be Thrown Upon The Wall by Henry Bursill, originally published in 1859. I had forgotten all about it until we had a power outage during the winter, when the neighbour's grandkids were over visiting, and we were trying to find fun things for all the generations to do together with only the light of a couple of candles and camping lamps!
This shadow puppet greyhound idea came from an old book that I found on Project Gutenberg a couple of years ago -Hand Shadows To Be Thrown Upon The Wall by Henry Bursill, originally published in 1859. I had forgotten all about it until we had a power outage during the winter, when the neighbour's grandkids were over visiting, and we were trying to find fun things for all the generations to do together with only the light of a couple of candles and camping lamps!Sew Your Own Greyhound Coat, Martingale Collar, and Dog Boots
Free Sewing Patterns and Instructions
Skinny dogs need protection from the weather, but regular dog clothing doesn't quite fit a greyhound... Hound owners who know some basic sewing skills often really enjoy the chance to pamper their greyhounds by making custom dog coats and other apparel to keep the dogs warm in winter!
- Free Easy Sewing Pattern for Dog Boots
- Jen's all-weather dog boot pattern was designed for a greyhound but also can be sized up or down to fit other breeds of dogs. Easy to sew in fleece fabric with vinyl soles for paw pad protection. The combination of velcro and elastic on the fasteners mean they can be quickly and easily adjusted to stay on a greyhound's skinny legs when he walks in snow.
- Free Hound Coat Instructions - the Original Greyhound Manor Pattern
- This is a "web archive" version of the popular Greyhound Manor Hound Coat instructions, which has since disappeared from the Internet. (What a good thing the "Way Back Machine" saved a copy!) This pattern is easy to make, and the coat is easy to put on and take off your hound when made with the single velcro fastener as described.
- Tutorial - Sew a Cozy (Custom) Canine Coat
- Greyhound males are much larger than females and greyhounds come in a good range of sizes within the breed in general, so It can be hard to find a well-fitting greyhound coat pattern. Here's a fantastic free tutorial for how to design a custom dog coat, using your dog's actual measurements.
- Tutorial - Upcycled Greyhound Coat from Fleece Vest
- In this free Instructables tutorial, learn how to "upcycle" an old fleece vest into a greyhound jacket. Lots of pictures to walk you through it, and I can tell you I've done this one - it works great to make a custom greyhound coat. For a big male greyhound, you may need a couple of vests to get enough fabric - check at yard sales and secondhand clothing shops.
- Greyhound Tuxedo - Free Sewing Pattern
- Sew your hound a spiffy coat with tuxedo style - free pattern! (My friend used this pattern to make a tuxedo for her greyhound when she was getting married, so the dog could be in her wedding party. Too cute!)
- Miscellaneous Free Sewing Patterns for Dog Coats
- This page at DoggieStylish has a list of coat patterns for various sizes of dogs, including links to a couple of the greyhound coat patterns I have already given here, above - but there are also a couple of coats modelled by dalmations that look as if they could quite easily be adapted for a greyhound with a little bit of mathematics and a patient greyhound to try on a muslin mock-up!
- How To Make an Adjustable Martingale Dog Collar
- DIY instructions (free, with pictures) for how to make a martingale dog collar - and while you're over there at Instructables.com, take a look around at the other tutorials for making various hound collars and martingales. Different people do it a bit differently, and explain the how-to in slightly different ways, so you may find that one set of instructions is better for your learning style than another.
- How To Make An Adjustable Martingale Collar
- From the Doggie Stylish blog, here's another step-by-step tutorial with photographs to illustrate it, showing how to DIY a sighthound collar of the webbing-and-hardware martingale type.
- Sew a Dog Collar Cover
- Fabric scraps are all you need to make a simple-to-sew dog bandana that slips over the dog's tag collar for special occasions or to dress him up for "meet and greet" events with your greyhound rescue / adoption group. If you'd like to make a kind of scarf collar cover you can use with a martingale, Velcro strips or dots will be your friend.
Skinny dogs need protection from the weather, but regular dog clothing doesn't quite fit a greyhound... Hound owners who know some basic sewing skills often really enjoy the chance to pamper their greyhounds by making custom dog coats and other apparel to keep the dogs warm in winter!
- Free Easy Sewing Pattern for Dog Boots
- Jen's all-weather dog boot pattern was designed for a greyhound but also can be sized up or down to fit other breeds of dogs. Easy to sew in fleece fabric with vinyl soles for paw pad protection. The combination of velcro and elastic on the fasteners mean they can be quickly and easily adjusted to stay on a greyhound's skinny legs when he walks in snow.
- Free Hound Coat Instructions - the Original Greyhound Manor Pattern
- This is a "web archive" version of the popular Greyhound Manor Hound Coat instructions, which has since disappeared from the Internet. (What a good thing the "Way Back Machine" saved a copy!) This pattern is easy to make, and the coat is easy to put on and take off your hound when made with the single velcro fastener as described.
- Tutorial - Sew a Cozy (Custom) Canine Coat
- Greyhound males are much larger than females and greyhounds come in a good range of sizes within the breed in general, so It can be hard to find a well-fitting greyhound coat pattern. Here's a fantastic free tutorial for how to design a custom dog coat, using your dog's actual measurements.
- Tutorial - Upcycled Greyhound Coat from Fleece Vest
- In this free Instructables tutorial, learn how to "upcycle" an old fleece vest into a greyhound jacket. Lots of pictures to walk you through it, and I can tell you I've done this one - it works great to make a custom greyhound coat. For a big male greyhound, you may need a couple of vests to get enough fabric - check at yard sales and secondhand clothing shops.
- Greyhound Tuxedo - Free Sewing Pattern
- Sew your hound a spiffy coat with tuxedo style - free pattern! (My friend used this pattern to make a tuxedo for her greyhound when she was getting married, so the dog could be in her wedding party. Too cute!)
- Miscellaneous Free Sewing Patterns for Dog Coats
- This page at DoggieStylish has a list of coat patterns for various sizes of dogs, including links to a couple of the greyhound coat patterns I have already given here, above - but there are also a couple of coats modelled by dalmations that look as if they could quite easily be adapted for a greyhound with a little bit of mathematics and a patient greyhound to try on a muslin mock-up!
- How To Make an Adjustable Martingale Dog Collar
- DIY instructions (free, with pictures) for how to make a martingale dog collar - and while you're over there at Instructables.com, take a look around at the other tutorials for making various hound collars and martingales. Different people do it a bit differently, and explain the how-to in slightly different ways, so you may find that one set of instructions is better for your learning style than another.
- How To Make An Adjustable Martingale Collar
- From the Doggie Stylish blog, here's another step-by-step tutorial with photographs to illustrate it, showing how to DIY a sighthound collar of the webbing-and-hardware martingale type.
- Sew a Dog Collar Cover
- Fabric scraps are all you need to make a simple-to-sew dog bandana that slips over the dog's tag collar for special occasions or to dress him up for "meet and greet" events with your greyhound rescue / adoption group. If you'd like to make a kind of scarf collar cover you can use with a martingale, Velcro strips or dots will be your friend.
Knitting & Crochet Patterns for Greyhound Clothing
Free Patterns & Low-cost Patterns
- Cable Knit Greyhound Sweater Pattern
- Don't be confused by the picture of pugs you'll see on this page! "This dog sweater pattern was designed for a Greyhound..." As written, it's sized to fit 26" long, width 22" - "but can be easily adjusted to fit a variety of larger dogs." Thanks to DogGoneKnit.com for sharing this free knitting pattern.
- Knitting Pattern for Greyhound Sweater (photographs)
- Greyhound Sam's sweater was knitted with Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn, in a gorgeous Blue Heather color, by Ravelry member KathyinGeorgia - and she's shared plenty of photographs posted in her Flickr stream to illustrate the process of knitting and fitting the sweater. This is knitted from Terri Lee Royea's original pattern for a side-button greyhound sweater.
- Side-Button Greyhound Sweater Pattern
- This is a beautiful knitting pattern by Terri Lee Royea, available as a free Ravelry pattern download. It is a turtleneck sweater that slips over your greyhound's head and buttons on the side to keep the belly warm. Photos here also show an Aran variation with cables. Warm and elegant!
- Quick & Easy Greyhound Dog Sweater Crochet Pattern with Snood
- Quick and easy, yet gracefully styled for the Fashionable Greyhound, this crocheted sweater-coat is well suited to the beginner's crochet skills and calls for chunky yarn so it makes up fast. I like how the full folds of the matching snood drapes so elegantly, like a shawl collar. $6 gets you the pattern PDF on Etsy.com, and Aerie Designs donates a portion of the proceeds to benefit Greyhound Adoption. Bonus pattern for a small dog sweater is also included.
- Crochet Pattern for Greyhound Sweater and Snood
- This pattern for a greyhound crocheted sweater and matching snood (ear and neck warmer) is by A & B Originals Designer Crochet and available on Etsy.com for $3, digital delivery.
- Crochet Pattern for Greyhound Vest
- This pattern is for a short and simple crochet vest for a greyhound, quite similar to the full-length sweater listed above. PDF pattern, $3 from the A & B Originals Designer Crochet store on Etsy.com
- Greyhound Fisherman Sweater Crochet Pattern
- This handsome Fisherman-style sweaters (with matching snood) is by far the best-looking crocheted sweater for greyhounds that I've seen out there, but it's likely to be a bit too challenging for a beginner to tackle. $6 for the pattern PDF on Etsy.com. Aerie Designs donates a portion of the sales of all their patterns to benefit Greyhound Adoption.
- Cable Knit Greyhound Sweater Pattern
- Don't be confused by the picture of pugs you'll see on this page! "This dog sweater pattern was designed for a Greyhound..." As written, it's sized to fit 26" long, width 22" - "but can be easily adjusted to fit a variety of larger dogs." Thanks to DogGoneKnit.com for sharing this free knitting pattern.
- Knitting Pattern for Greyhound Sweater (photographs)
- Greyhound Sam's sweater was knitted with Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn, in a gorgeous Blue Heather color, by Ravelry member KathyinGeorgia - and she's shared plenty of photographs posted in her Flickr stream to illustrate the process of knitting and fitting the sweater. This is knitted from Terri Lee Royea's original pattern for a side-button greyhound sweater.
- Side-Button Greyhound Sweater Pattern
- This is a beautiful knitting pattern by Terri Lee Royea, available as a free Ravelry pattern download. It is a turtleneck sweater that slips over your greyhound's head and buttons on the side to keep the belly warm. Photos here also show an Aran variation with cables. Warm and elegant!
- Quick & Easy Greyhound Dog Sweater Crochet Pattern with Snood
- Quick and easy, yet gracefully styled for the Fashionable Greyhound, this crocheted sweater-coat is well suited to the beginner's crochet skills and calls for chunky yarn so it makes up fast. I like how the full folds of the matching snood drapes so elegantly, like a shawl collar. $6 gets you the pattern PDF on Etsy.com, and Aerie Designs donates a portion of the proceeds to benefit Greyhound Adoption. Bonus pattern for a small dog sweater is also included.
- Crochet Pattern for Greyhound Sweater and Snood
- This pattern for a greyhound crocheted sweater and matching snood (ear and neck warmer) is by A & B Originals Designer Crochet and available on Etsy.com for $3, digital delivery.
- Crochet Pattern for Greyhound Vest
- This pattern is for a short and simple crochet vest for a greyhound, quite similar to the full-length sweater listed above. PDF pattern, $3 from the A & B Originals Designer Crochet store on Etsy.com
- Greyhound Fisherman Sweater Crochet Pattern
- This handsome Fisherman-style sweaters (with matching snood) is by far the best-looking crocheted sweater for greyhounds that I've seen out there, but it's likely to be a bit too challenging for a beginner to tackle. $6 for the pattern PDF on Etsy.com. Aerie Designs donates a portion of the sales of all their patterns to benefit Greyhound Adoption.
0 评论:
Post a Comment